Who Owns Grizzly Woodworking Tools And Where Are They Made?

Grizzly might be one of the most recognizable names in woodworking tools today, but its story starts with something as small as a borrowed $500 and a used lathe. The company was founded in 1983 by Shiraz Balolia, who at the time was just trying to fix and resell machines to earn a living. He started in a tiny space behind a barber shop and personally delivered drill presses in an overloaded VW van. Fast forward to today, and Grizzly is a major name in making the best woodworking power tools, with customers that range from weekend DIYers to massive corporations like Boeing and Ford.

The company is still privately owned and led by Balolia himself. Headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, Grizzly has grown its reach across the U.S. while staying true to its direct-to-consumer roots. While some of its tools are available online through retailers, the company primarily sells through its own website and catalog. Its tools are designed in the U.S., and are manufactured in China and Taiwan under strict quality control. – a model that has helped keep costs down for decades.

The company custom designs each machine and works with long-term manufacturing partners overseas. In fact, some factories produce tools exclusively for Grizzly. Its overseas offices include full-time quality control engineers, and every machine is inspected abroad and again when it lands in a U.S. warehouse. Thus, while the manufacturing is outsourced to countries like China and Taiwan, Grizzly makes sure that it provides cheap woodworking tools without compromising on quality.

In addition, Grizzly sends U.S.-based quality teams to visit those factories. Its facilities also house full machine shops for warranty repairs and part replacements. The company has built a reputation for keeping most parts in stock and shipping them the same day, a rare thing in the tool world. Then come the manuals for Grizzly machines, which are so well-written that they've won awards for clarity, offering support to both beginners taking on small woodworking projects and professionals outfitting a factory floor.

A big part of Grizzly's growth comes from its smart business model. After being cut off by a supplier in the early days, Balolia decided to start importing directly from Taiwan, cutting out middlemen and lowering prices. That move helped him offer decent-quality tools at competitive rates. Grizzly's strong online presence helped it grow rapidly during the early days of the Internet boom.

Despite its size, Grizzly still operates like a family-run business. Two of its managers have been with the company for over 30 years, and its Springfield call center is known for experienced, long-term staff. Even now, the company is expanding into newer areas, like CNC routers, while still staying loyal to its manual tools and its roots. And as Balolia once said, he picked the name "Grizzly" because no other animal dares to challenge it – a name intended to reflect the company's goals and reliability.