Tool brand Stanley Proto turns 100 years old in 2007

Stanley Proto will mark the 100th anniversary of the Proto Brand in 2007, and is planning a number of initiatives throughout the year to celebrate this milestone. Proto's anniversary plans will address internal associates, distributors and end-user customers.

The company will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in a number of ways, the first of which will be the introduction of a new, commemorative logo, new product launches, a company history, a new product catalog and a special anniversary section for the Web site.

Several new product initiatives are also planned for the coming year, including a major expansion of the company's tool line. These product initiatives show that Proto will use the centennial to do more than just look back.

"We see our anniversary as a great opportunity to celebrate our past accomplishments, and a chance to share with employees, customers, advertisers and strategic partners the perspective one gets by viewing an organization’s success over time," says Proto president Jamie Ritter. "But it's also much more. We will be using the time to announce major plans for our future growth and innovation."

The company was founded in 1907 in Los Angeles as Plomb Tool Company. It was a small machine shop owned by three German immigrants who made and sold hand-forged tools. The company started making simple awls and chisels, then introduced wrenches made from the axles of Model T Fords. Its product line quicky grew to include torque wrenches, ball pein hammers and specialty tools. The company invented the combination wrench, which it began selling in 1933.

A company centennial is more than a span of years. It's a celebration of the company's accomplishments, innovations, leaders and employees. Proto’s tools tightened bolts on dams and bridges raised by the New Deal. They stormed the beaches of Normandy and built rockets that fueled the space age.

The company will provide more information on its 100th anniversary initiatives as they are launched. Look for details starting in the first quarter of the year.