Black & Decker - Company Timeline

Company Timeline

Black & Decker Corporation was founded in 1910 by S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker as a small machine shop in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1917, Black & Decker invented the familiar portable electric drill, obtaining a patent for a hand-held drill combining a pistol grip and trigger switch.

• 1917 – Received a patent for the pistol grip and trigger switch on its drill. The first factory was opened in Towson, Maryland.
• 1928 – Acquired Van Dorn Electric Tool Company of Cleveland, Ohio.
• 1936 – Common stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
• 1943 – Received the Army-Navy "E" Award for production, one of four World War II citations awarded to the company.
• 1949 – First Black & Decker U.S. trademark awarded four years after filing in 1945.
• 1975 – Francis P. Lucier succeeded Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. as chairman of the board, the first time a family member did not hold the post.
• 1984 – Acquired small-appliance business from General Electric Company.
• 1986 – Nolan D. Archibald is named chief executive officer.
• 1989 – Acquired Emhart Corporation, which includes the brand names Kwikset, Price Pfister faucets, Molly wall anchors, POP rivets, True Temper golf club shafts and other consumer and commercial products. Inducted into the Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame for its cordless power tool achievements and contributions to NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs.
• 2010 – Black & Decker merges with Stanley Works to become Stanley Black & Decker.