industries industry manufacturing founded 1965 in defiance ohio founder c. william schlosser headquarters colorado springs colorado products hand tools website www.westernforge.com western forge is an american manufacturing company . the company manufactures hand tools to be sold under other brands including private label brands such as craftsman and husky . it is a subsidiary of ideal industries . 1 as of 2010 update the company is the largest american manufacturer of screwdrivers . 2 yet the company is relatively unknown because it sells no tools under its own name . 3 contents 1 history 2 gallery 3 references 4 external links history edit western forge was founded in defiance ohio in 1965 as a joint venture between sears and c. william schlosser to make torque wrenches . 3 in 1966 it relocated to colorado springs colorado where it built a new manufacturing facility . in the next few years the company began producing screwdrivers punches chisels adjustable wrenches and pliers . 4 in 1976 western forge shipped its 100 millionth craftsman screwdriver . 5 in 2008 the company produced its billionth screwdriver overall . 3 in 1981 the company was acquired by emerson electric . 3 in the late 1990s western forge moved its screwdriver production to a plant in murphy north carolina . in april 2006 it closed the plant and consolidated its operations in colorado springs citing declining sales . the company received 200 000 in cash incentives from the city of colorado springs and the colorado springs economic development corporation to stay in colorado springs . 6 7 sears craftsman products and others that are produced by western forge are marked with a wf on them . in 2007 the company was acquired by mw universal . 3 in 2010 it was acquired by ideal industries . 8 9 gallery edit craftsman screwdrivers . craftsman cushion grip screwdrivers . husky pro screwdrivers . craftsman professional screwdrivers . ridgid and craftsman multibit screwdrivers made by western forge . craftsman williams and proto adjustable wrenches . craftsman professional pliers . craftsman beam torque wrench . craftsman bottle opener . references edit ideal announces acquisition of western forge a premier manufacturer of american made hand tools press release . ideal industries . 2009 12 31 . retrieved 2010 03 17 . varnon rob 2010 06 25 . workers hope for aid in closing . the advocate . retrieved 2014 01 16 . a b c d e heilman wayne 2008 03 29 . forging ahead . the gazette . retrieved 2014 01 16 . western forge . our history . retrieved 2010 03 17 . sears archives . sears digital archive timeline 1970s . retrieved 2010 03 27 . chakrabarty gargi 2005 12 22 . springs to gain 150 western forge jobs . rocky mountain news . retrieved 2014 01 22 . sealover ed 2005 12 03 . should firms be paid to stay . the gazette . retrieved 2014 01 22 . heilman wayne 2010 01 04 . western forge to be sold to ideal industries . the gazette . retrieved 2014 01 16 . heilman wayne 2010 01 05 . new owners to pump millions into western forge . the gazette . retrieved 2010 03 17 . external links edit western forge web site v t e hand tool manufacturers current dasco pro inc. apex tool group allen armstrong tools crescent diamond gearwrench k d tools lufkin nicholson plumb sata tools wiss xcelite bondhus buck bros. channellock cornwell tools digitool solutions disston saw works ega master eklind emerson ridgid empire level estwing felo few fiskars gerber gardner bender gedore gray tools dynamic tools hazet hans tools heyco ideal industries pratt read sk hand tools western forge klein tools knipex kukko leatherman lie nielsen toolworks lisle corporation lowell corporation matco tools martin tool & forge newell brands irwin lenox otc park tool pb swiss saltus sandvik senco snap on bahco cdi torque products williams stahlwille stanley black & decker blackhawk bostitch dewalt facom mac tools proto sidchrome stanley hand tools textron greenlee klauke paladin tools techtronic industries milwaukee thorsen manufacturing tom f teira toptul vaughan victorinox wenger wera tools wescott westward tools wiha tools witte tools wright tool historic coes wrench company easco hand tools forest city screwdriver and drill company goodell pratt hinsdale holtzapffel indestro mathieson mckaig hatch new britain machine company norris north brothers manufacturing company h. d. smith & co. utica tools bonney forge herbrand vlchek house brands ace hardware ace tools autozone duralast blain s farm and fleet duracraft canadian tire mastercraft the home depot husky lee valley veritas lowe s kobalt menards masterforce montgomery ward powrkraft sears craftsman retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title western forge & oldid 711102311 categories tool manufacturing companies of the united statescompanies established in 1965companies based in coloradoideal industrieshidden categories articles containing potentially dated statements from 2010all articles containing potentially dated 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