Ideal Industries is an American company that produces connectors, hand tools, testers, and meters for the electrical and telecommunications industries. The company manufactures many of its products in the United States. It also owns Western Forge and Pratt-Read, the largest– and second-largest American-made producers of screwdrivers respectively at the time of their acquisitions. It is a competitor to Klein Tools, and its tools are sold at Lowe's and Ace Hardware stores as well as many independent distributors.

History

Ideal was founded in 1916 by J. Walter Becker as the Ideal Commutator Dresser Company in Chicago, Illinois, manufacturing commutator dresser stones. In 1924, Becker relocated the company to its current location in Sycamore, Illinois. By 1949, it had become the United States' leading producer of wire nuts. In 2010, Ideal acquired three American hand tool manufacturers: Western Forge in January, Pratt-Read in March, and SK Hand Tools in August.

Gallery

IDEAL Subsidiaries

Former Subsidiaries