| Type | Subsidiary of the Danaher Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1890 in Chicago, Illinois |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
| Products | Industrial tools |
| Website | www.armstrongtools.com |
Armstrong Tools is an American industrial hand tool manufacturer. It is a subsidiary of the Danaher Corporation.
Armstrong was founded in 1890 as the Armstrong Bros. Tool Company in Chicago, Illinois by the four Armstrong brothers. The brothers manufactured bicycle parts and tools for repairing and manufacturing bicycles from the brothers' backyard shed and managed a retail store in downtown Chicago.[1]
In 1895, Armstrong introduced a tool holder for lathe cutting bits. Rather than individual forged cutting tools, this product used a single forged shank with interchangeable cutting bits, drastically reducing the cost of such bits. The success of this product allowed Armstrong to build a factory in Chicago in 1900 (followed by a larger factory in 1905). In 1948, the company moved to its current facility, and in 1974, it opened a second facility in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
In 1994, Armstrong was acquired by the Danaher Corporation, where it operates as its industrial hand tools division.[2]