Barberton manufacturer of hand tools has had the 'Wright' stuff for 97 years

If you're not from Barberton, you might not have noticed the headquarters of a manufacturing company with a worldwide reach tucked under the State Street bridge.

The Wright Tool Co. at 1 Wright Drive makes premium hand tools from U.S.-only steel, distributing them to about 4,000 locations around the world. It's done so for 97 years.

The company's products are highly regarded among the men and women who build the nation's roads and bridges, the military and hand-tool forums like The Garage Journal and The Lawn Forum .

They are the hand tools used to build the nation's infrastructure, said President Tom Futey during a tour of the company's Barberton facilities.

Wright Tools emphasizes its made-in-America manufacturing

"Where you see cranes, you're most likely to see Wright tools," Futey said.

The company enthusiastically markets its products as made-in-America from U.S. steel. It even tests the steel to ensure the source is the U.S.

"One of our brand positions is to be U.S. made," Futey said.

A Wright promotional video puts it this way: "Even though these (tools) look silver, they're red, white and blue all the way through."

Not subtle, but appreciated by many of the U.S. workers who use hand tools in their profession, Futey said, especially when a broken tool becomes a safety issue — on a crane or oil rig, for example.

Wright's president said it's necessary for some government-purchased products to be U.S.-manufactured or meet high specs on U.S. content. Military and other government sales make up about 15% of the company's business, he said.

"There is still a good desire among tradesmen… still a strong desire for the highest quality and made in America," said Futey.

From the Hoover Dam to Perry Nuclear Power Plant to the new State Route 8 bridge

In its 97 years of business, the company has become a fixture in construction, oil and gas, power generation and infrastructure industries, Futey said.

"We've built pretty much every (U.S.) turbine," he said.

The company's tools were used in the construction of the Hoover Dam and Perry Nuclear Power Plant. They're in use now in the construction of the new State Route 8 bridge in Akron.

"In every arena in America, Wright tools have been used," said Mike Taylor, vice president of operations.

The company distributes its products through 4,000 brick and mortar locations throughout the world, but you won't find them in some of the nation's biggest retailers, Futey said.

"Our tools have to be stronger than (for) retail use," he said.

Building Wright tools

Futey said the company has about 150 full-time employees, including its production crews who make 4,000 products at the headquarters' ground floor manufacturing plant.

A production job isn't for everyone, Futey said, but the company has good retention for workers who stay. Last year, it celebrated three employees who achieved the 40-year mark at the company. Two have since retired, but Jeff Kyer now has 41 years at Wright.

The Canal Fulton resident isn't sure when he'll be ready to retire, he said.

"It's a great company," he said. "They're good to you."

On the other end of the spectrum, Wadsworth resident Brandon Rowe is hoping a two-month stint in the tool-and-die department becomes a permanent job.

He came to Wright Tool from the 4-Cities Compact trades program at Barberton, Wadsworth, Norton and Coventry schools.

"I like it a lot," Rowe said.

Lisa Wiley, a Barberton resident, is in her eighth year with the company. She helps to ensure the steel is American made, conducts safety training and inspects products.

It's rare that a product isn't up to snuff, she said, but when something tests wrong, she puts a stop to it.

"We'll stop it, sort it, fix it and (then) restart the run," she said.

The products are forged and shaped with a 50-ton press using dies manufactured in-house. Workers inspect the product while is still glows at 1,000 degrees.

A plating line designed by Dick Wright, son of founder C. Nelson Wright and a legend at the company, is still in use. So are a lot of equipment — maintained in-house — for the era of U.S. manufacturing prowess.

But the company has also invested in new technologies like the Faro Arm scanner that produces 3-D images of products to microscopic scales.

Almost at 100

Futey said the company is already preparing for its 100th anniversary. It's considering a line of collectible and limited edition products and preparing for celebrations within the company.

Futey said the company has recently stirred interest among potential buyers, but he and co-owner Terry Taylor, chairman of Wright, intend to keep it privately held.

"Those calls are coming more than ever and obviously, they're no interest to us," Futey said. "…Terry and I are not done here."

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Barberton manufacturer of hand tools has had the 'Wright' stuff for 97 years