Note: The following is a republished excerpt from the Lockwood Hardware Manufacturing Company’s Lockwood – The story of its past, the basis for its future. Published in 1953, and based almost entirely off of literature produced for Lockwood’s 1952 sales convention, it recounts the history of the Lockwood Hardware Manufacturing Company from 1834 until 1952.
By 1953, the Lockwood Hardware Manufacturing Company, then a division of the Independent Lock Company with both being headquartered in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, fielded branch offices in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, and Selma, Alabama along with five manufacturing plants in Fitchburg and one in Selma.
We have made no changes to this excerpt and what you see is exactly how it was printed in 1953, albeit in a different medium.
1932. Present Plant No. 1 in Fitchburg, Mass. Acquired at the time Lockwood Hardware Manufacturing Company was moved from South Norwalk, Conn.
Chapter Five, Lockwood Hardware Manufacturing Company 1932 to 1940
THIS development period, from the time the plant was moved from South Norwalk, Conn., was a critical one in determining the future progress of Lockwood. The next few years were a period of transition. One of the first requisites was a new catalog which was published in 1932. It was soon realized by the new management, however, that if Lockwood was to be a real factor in the industry, a complete overhauling was necessary. A program was started which has continued to this very day and projects itself far into the future.
Heavy forging press at Plant No. 1.
The sales force was expanded and put under a separate head. Sales offices were opened in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chicago, with sales agents in Boston, Detroit and the West Coast. Next came product improvement. A new series of cylinder locks was developed incorporating forged brass fronts and bolts as well as hubs and extrude parts. Many innovations entirely new to the industry were introduced. Equipoise knob action, Polyflex Knobs with tops that could be changed at will, Cape Cod sets, the Patrician with its colorful plastic trim and the Ball Bearing Door Closer, which has been revolutionary in the industry, were product developments introduced with outstanding success. The new Lockwood Catalog has been copied many times in its unique style.
While all this was going on, the new company, slowly but surely, expanded its sale efforts in the contract field. Contract Departments were opened in New York and Chicago and staffed with experience personnel. At Fitchburg, the Contract Department was reinforced. Soon the results began to be felt. Contract business was secured, particularly in government work, and later on, in projects built under the P.W.A. program. Some outstanding jobs of this period were:
ELYTON VILLAGE HOUSING, Birmingham, Alabama
U.S. COURT HOUSE, Phoenix, Arizona
REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH LAB., Albany, California
U.S. COURT HOUSE & POST OFFICE, Fresno, California
U.S. POST OFFICE, South San Francisco, California
U.S. POST OFFICE – RENCON ANNEX, San Francisco, California
U.S. VETERANS’ HOSPITAL, San Francisco, California
U.S. POST OFFICE & COURT HOUSE, Grand Junction, Colorado
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, East Haven, Connecticut
TRAINING SCHOOL AND HOSPITAL FOR FEEBLE MINDED, Southbury, Connecticut
NAVY AND MUNITIONS BUILDING, Washington, D.C.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY MEN’S RES. HALL, West Lafayette, Indiana
A.C. BARRACKS – CHANUTE FIELD, Ranton, Illinois
C.O.Q. BUILDINGS, Fort Knox, Kentucky
MASSACHUSSETTS HOUSING, Boston, Massachusetts
U.S. POST OFFICE & COURT HOUSE, St. Paul, Minnesota
U.S. POST OFFICE & COURT HOUSE, Great Halls, Montana
PRUDENTIAL APARTMENT HOUSE, Newark, New Jersey
NASSAU COUNTY COURT HOUSE, Mineola, L.I., New York
EAST RIVER HOUSING, New York, New York
LINN COUNTY COURT HOUSE, Albany, Oregon
U.S. POST OFFICE, Burns, Oregon
U.S. VETERANS’ HOSPITAL, Rosebury, Oregon
TERRACE VILLAGE HOUSING, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
THADDEUS STEVENS ELEM. SCHOOL, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
MARINE BARRACKS, Quantico, Virginia
U.S. COURT HOUSE, Seattle, Washington
U.S. POST OFFICE & COURT HOUSE, Spokane, Washington
1940. Plant No. 2 in Fitchburg was added. Plant 2A is at rear.
Door Closer Assembly Department.
Fitchburg High School, designed by architects, Coolidge, Shepley, Bullfinch and Abbott, is an outstanding contribution to advancement in school design.
Lockwood’s reputation for builders’ hardware of high quality is recognized in Fitchburg’s leading buildings. The two shown are Lockwood equipped, as are most of the city’s more modern structures.
Fitchburg’s modern Youth Library has received much attention in architectural and civic circles.
Two other outstanding projects equipped with Lockwood hardware during this period were the Social Security and Railroad Retirement Buildings, Washington, D.C., for which a special cast modern design was made. The Fitchburg High School, which was designed by one of the leading architectural firms in the country, Coolidge, Sheply, Bulfinch and Abbott, is one of the finest schools to be found anywhere. It was Lockwood equipped.
The foundation was firmly laid during these years on which the new management was to build a healthy progressive business.
Once Fitchburg’s sport arena – now a warehouse for ILCO-LOCKWOOD parts in process. Site is closely adjacent to Plant No. 1.
1952. Plants No. 3 (right) and No. 3A (left) in Fitchburg, Mass.
Ten spindle press for forming deep-drawn parts.
Fast, modern press for blanking and forming operations.
Seven station, fully automatic machine for precision drilling and tapping operations.