Who Owns Klein Tools And Where Are They Made?

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Klein Tools is not typically listed among the major brand names in the tool game. That being said, if you're currently employed in the electrical, telecommunications, or general construction industries, there's a pretty good chance you not only know the Klein Tools name but use their professional-grade hand tools on a daily basis. As the Klein Tools slogan professes, that's been true since the company was founded by Mathias Klein in 1857, and in the almost 170 years since, the outfit has grown into a billion-dollar manufacturing operation.

These days, the range of tools bearing the Klein brand has grown well beyond what even Mathias Klein might've imagined. So, too, has the company's customer base, of course, with Klein Tools having long been available to the DIY consumer set. While Klein Tools has seen no shortage of major changes over the years, ownership of the company has remained the same since the early days. Yes, the company founded by Mathias Klein in 1857 is still owned by the Klein family, who manage every aspect of its day-to-day operations. Given the growth of the company in the years since its founding, it's hard to imagine the Kleins are looking to cede control of their tool empire anytime in the near future. 

With the Klein family calling the shots for close to 170 years, the company has long been a distinctly family-owned affair. Klein Tools came into being in Chicago, Illinois, and is also a distinctly American business, with the company currently headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Of course, as most people already know, just because a company is headquartered in the United States doesn't mean it's an entirely American entity, as many such companies still manufacture their goods out of the country or overseas. It should be noted that Klein Tools does, in fact, operate a manufacturing plant in Mexico, and has since 1970. However, Klein points out that the bulk of the products it makes south of the border are sold either in Mexico or elsewhere in South America. One of the few exceptions is the brand's Knockout Punches, which are sold all over America, including through Amazon. 

That's the bad news. The good news is that the bulk of Klein Tools-branded products being sold in the United States — like the almost overstuffed MODBox Mobile Workstation — were likely made there as well. That's because Klein owns and operates several production facilities in the U.S., including plants in Elk Grove, Illinois, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Mansfield, Texas and Bolivar, New York. And just for the record, Klein claims to adhere strictly to the "Made in the USA" ethos, developing and assembling its hand tools Stateside with parts that originated in its own US facilities. 

You can buy Klein Tools bearing the "Made in the USA" label — some of which can be purchased for under $20 — with full confidence that they were actually made there, save for a noted exception or two. If you are among the consumer masses devoted to only purchasing products made in the United States of America, Klein Tools is clearly a brand you should get familiar with. 

Before you can do that, you will, naturally, need to figure out exactly where tools bearing the brand of Klein Tools can be purchased. You won't have to look too hard to find Klein Tools for sale, as the company's hand tools are currently being stocked in most of the major hardware stores and big box home improvement retailers around the world. That list includes the likes of Lowe's, The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, True Value, and Grainger.

Yes, you should also be able to purchase Klein Tools through online retail stores operated by those major outlets, as well as the e-commerce titan Amazon. As for where else you might find tools manufactured by Team Klein, the list is too long to list here. However, if you need to know all of the options concerning where you can buy Klein Tools, the company has been kind enough to list them all on its website. It should go without saying that you can almost certainly also find the company's tools via second-hand markets as well.