Kwikset facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Founders | Adolf Schoepe Karl Rhinehart |
| Parent | Spectrum Brands |
Kwikset is an American lock and lockset manufacturer owned by Spectrum Brands Hardware and Home Improvement Group (HHI), a Division of Spectrum Brands. Originally Gateway Manufacturing Company, Kwikset founded in California in 1946 by Adolf Schoepe, and Karl Rhinehart.
The current name for the company was derived from the company's first locks, which pioneered the then revolutionary tubular lock design, which were relatively fast to install. Kwikset key blanks (KW1 or Axxess #66) are available at almost every location where keys can be made.
Kwikset currently has manufacturing facilities in Denison, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Mexicali, Mexico. Kwikset also has a facility in China. Kwikset previously had manufacturing facilities in Anaheim, California; Bristow, Oklahoma; and Waynesboro, Georgia; but starting in 1996, these facilities were closed in a consolidation of operations to the Mexicali facility. Kwikset's Corporate headquarters is in Lake Forest, California.
In 1992, Kwikset introduced its higher quality, high security Titan product line. About 2005, the line was rebranded as the "Signature Series". In 1957, the American Hardware Corporation (AHC) purchased Kwikset. AHC in 1964 merged with Emhart Manufacturing Corporation, which was purchased by Black & Decker in 1989. In March 2010, Black & Decker was purchased by Stanley Tools.
Kwikset is part of the Hardware and Home Improvement Group of Stanley Black & Decker, which also owns lockset manufacturers Weiser and Baldwin. Kwikset locks have now evolved to include many Weiser features, and Weiser locks now use Kwikset's "SmartKey" self rekeyable lock technology and Kwikset keyways.
