Forging a Legacy with Channellock

Channellock, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of high-quality pliers and assorted hand tools, including its iconic, Americanmade CHANNELLOCK® Tongue & Groove Pliers.

Founded by George B. DeArment in 1886, the Meadville, Pennsylvania-based company is now in its fifth generation of family ownership and operation, with brothers Jon and Ryan DeArment at the helm.

Channellock attributes much of its success and longevity to its rich family legacy. According to Channellock President & COO, Jon DeArment, “Family is essential to who we are as a company. As the fifth DeArment to run Channellock, I’m fortunate to work alongside my father, Bill, and brother, Ryan, to ensure that the values and quality our company was founded on are retained in everything we do.”

Furthermore, DeArment says that being a family-run business allows the company to make decisions based on what’s best for its associates and community rather than its shareholders and investors. “Our decisions are always based on the long-term continued success of our company.”

At Channellock, the concept of family extends beyond the DeArments. “To us, all of our associates are part of the Channellock family. We have many multi-generation team members here, some who have been with us for 40-plus years. It’s both encouraging and gratifying to see these hardworking men and women dedicate themselves to our shared vision,” says DeArment.

Committed to Meadville

Channellock got its start in Evansburg, Pennsylvania, but the company has proudly called Meadville home since 1904. Today, it owns and operates two facilities in Meadville totaling 260,000 square feet and employs more than 350 full-time associates — making it one of the largest employers in Meadville and Crawford County.

“Our relationship with the Meadville community is vital to our continued success, which is why we do our best to stay involved in and support local organizations. Not only do we call Meadville home, but so do our employees,” says DeArment. “A career at Channellock is more than just a job — it’s a way of life. Our team members take pride in making pliers for the hardworking tradespeople who keep our country running.”

In addition to paying a fair wage, Channellock offers its associates a number of benefits, including:

• Paid time off for national holidays and birthdays

• Incentive opportunities, including an hourly productivity incentive and overtime pay

• 401(k) with company match

• Employee Assistance Program, which offers assistance to employees suffering from stress, financial and legal issues, substance abuse, and other challenges

Channellock has been making its pliers on American soil since it was founded in 1886. Since then, the company’s iconic blue grips have become synonymous with the kind of quality tradespeople across the country can trust.

“Our customers take pride in knowing that purchasing CHANNELLOCK® pliers directly supports American manufacturing and American workers. American-made will always be an integral part of our story. Our goal is to manufacture everything we can here in Meadville. And, if that’s not possible, then we do our best to source it elsewhere in the U.S.,” DeArment says.

As tool production is increasingly outsourced, it’s refreshing to see a company so committed to American manufacturing.

Be a leader in designing and building special tooling to our customers’ needs. Specializing in tooling for the manufacturing of aircraft and land based turbine blades and vanes.

Kuhn Tool & Die Co. is a 2nd generation family-owned business founded in 1963 by Guy W. Kuhn and Jeanne Kuhn. Ken and Bonnie Kuhn are 2nd generation, and their sons Doug and Nate Kuhn are in place to be 3rd. Ken has worked at Kuhn Tool since he was 16 years old (for the past 51 years). He became President in 1991. Bonnie, Ken's wife, has worked at Kuhn for 32 years and became Vice President in 1991. Bonnie and Ken have four children, Jenn, David, Doug and Nate. All have worked part time at Kuhn, from ages 14-19 doing yard work, office work, cleaning, errands, etc. Doug and Nate made the choice after college, to work at the company full time and have been there ever since. Doug currently is the Engineering Manager, and Nate is the Production Manager. Kuhn Tool & Die Co. specializes in custom workholding fixtures and inspection gages to support high precision part production of jet and power generation engines as well as serving other industries, building to customer specifications or supplying complete turnkey design and build to satisfy customer machining and inspection needs.

Meet or exceed our customer requirements and industry standards. Always make it right. make it