Fiercely Made in Meadville, U.S.A.

That’s how CHANNELLOCK^® manufactures pliers. Fiercely made is not just some marketing gimmick. It actually means something. For many of us here in Meadville, Pa., it means that for more than 125 years we’ve been uncompromising perfectionists as we craft quality, American-made pliers. For others, it’s about never settling, or always looking for a better way to do the job.

We know it means something different to each one of our associates, which is why we’re making this month Fiercely Made February. Each week we’ll focus on a CHANNELLOCK^® associate who uses a combination of brains, brawn and technology to deliver the CHANNELLOCK^® pliers you rely on to get work done on the jobsite, at your business and in your home. We’re pulling them off the factory floor to explain what they do, what CHANNELLOCK^® plier they prefer themselves and what it means to work for a company that fiercely forges American-made tools. 

This week’s focus is on Dan Schaef, the man who makes sure that the teeth in our plier heads are cut to meet the exacting standards required for all CHANNELLOCK^® tongue and groove pliers. 

Name: Dan Schaef

Job: Statistical Process Control (SPC) Broach Operator

Years fiercely-making CHANNELLOCK^® tools: 39

Favorite CHANNELLOCK^® tool: “The 460 Straight Jaw Plier. I use the 460 all the time at home and for a variety of jobs. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of pliers.”

What do you like about working at CHANNELLOCK^®: “Our pliers are used all over the world, and when you see someone on TV using them, it feels good to know that you had something to do with it.” 

What ‘fiercely made’ means to you: “I think fiercely made means taking pride in your work. I don’t let a part go by that isn’t correct, and I’ve been doing that for 39 years.”

We always love seeing professionals using CHANNELLOCK^® tools – whether they’re plumbers, electricians, construction workers or any other trade – because it lets us know that we’ve made a quality tool that someone trusts to help them earn a living.

That’s why we were especially excited on Sunday, Jan. 22, when we sat down to watch television and two of our favorite shows – CBS’s “Undercover Boss” and HGTV’s “Holmes on Homes” –featured a bevy of our iconic CHANNELLOCK BLUE^® handles throughout their episodes.  

“Undercover Boss” featured Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairman and CEO of the Dwyer Group, going undercover with a technician from Mr. Rooter who taught her to use CHANNELLOCK^® tongue-and-groove pliers to tighten a water heater hose. (Start watching at 8:21 to see our tools in action.) 

“Holmes on Homes” has featured a variety of American-made CHANNELLOCK^® tools throughout the course of the show’s current season, most recently this past Sunday when Mike and his crew rescued a family from a simple bathroom renovation gone wrong. The entire team of contractors, plumbers and electricians all used the provided CHANNELLOCK^® tools to “make it right” for the homeowners.

And the best news of all…more plier placements are on the way! Be sure to tune in to A&E, Discovery, DIY Network, HGTV and Syfy in the coming months to check out more fiercely made tools from CHANNELLOCK^®.

Ryan DeArment

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Channellock Inc.

Register For The CHANNELLOCK^® Electrical Career Leadership Series

Here in Meadville, we believe that a strong, well-educated workforce is the backbone of our American economy. That’s why we’ve created The CHANNELLOCK^® Electrical Career Leadership Series, a sequence of webinars designed to supplement the in-classroom training of our next generation of electrical professionals.

The six-part, CHANNELLOCK^® Electrical Career Leadership Series is comprised of free educational webinars available to students training to become electrical professionals after completing high school or vocational studies. Each 45-minute webinar is held live and includes a 30-minute presentation on workplace skills and tips led by working electrical-industry professionals, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.

Our next webinar, Knowledge of Tool Types, Benefits, Secrets and Care, is the fifth in the six-part series and takes place Thursday, Dec. 15, at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The remaining webinar after that is:

• Knowledge of Materials: Jan. 12, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. EDT

Register and log on the day of the event and you will be able to view the visual portion of the presentation and access the audio through your computer. The audio portion of the webinar will also be available by using teleconference information provided when you access the event.

The first 25 registrants to each series are entered into a drawing to win one of three Tool Roll No. 8 gift sets for their class.

For those unable to attend a live event, each presentation is archived for later use at your convenience. Simply register and you will receive a link to the archived presentation following the conclusion of the event.

Michele M. King

Communications and Training Manager

Channellock, Inc.