Tool maker DEWALT, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The brand has been delivering tools for professional tradespeople around the world since 1924 when the company was founded by Raymond DeWalt, a tradesman in Pennsylvania who became a power tool pioneer when he sought a way to streamline and expedite wood-cutting operations.
His journey led to the invention of the “Wonder-Worker,” an adjustable electric radial arm saw that provided the ability to execute multiple operations on one affordable piece of equipment, and the creation of DEWALT.
The “Wonder-Worker” set the stage for DEWALT to begin distributing products both nationally and internationally, with the company counting household names like Steinway & Sons and Westinghouse Electric Co. among its satisfied clients. By 1927, Sears, Roebuck boasted that DEWALT’s saw contributed to helping manufacture “50 ready-cut houses” each day.
Later in life, DeWalt focused on helping close the skilled trades gap. He became a shop teacher at Mechanicsburg High School in Pennsylvania, educating the next generation of professional tradespeople. DeWalt passed away in 1961.
Anniversary Celebrations Throughout the Year
DEWALT will celebrate its milestone anniversary in multiple ways this year. A few highlights include:
- Launching products including DEWALT POWERSHIFT™, an electrified equipment system that optimizes the end-to-end workflow of concrete jobsites, which made its debut at the World of Concrete trade show last week with an electrifying activation on the exterior of Sphere;
- Ringing The Opening Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange on May 14, 2024, officially marking 100 years in business;
- Introducing a special anniversary branding and paint scheme on NASCAR driver Christopher Bell’s #20 Toyota Camry; and
- A “Pro Series” social media campaign honoring and highlighting the contributions of current professionals and promoting careers in the trades
DEWALT has also championed the trades sector since its founding, and in 2019, the company began offering annual DEWALT Trades Scholarships to support and grow the next generation of trades professionals. In 2023, DEWALT pledged $30 million over five years toward its Grow the Trades initiatives to support active and aspiring tradespeople. In addition, DEWALT contributed nearly $7 million last year to programs that support tradespeople, including trade schools, VOCTEC schools and other training organizations, while also collaborating with industry and non-profit partners on increasing women, diversity and veteran participation in the trades.
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