Ken-Tool Celebrates 95 Years

This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of tire service hand tool manufacturer Ken-Tool.

John A. Kennedy, a tire changer, developed a company to market and sell hand tools when he developed the Pacific Rim Tool in 1920. Because Kennedy’s business didn’t have manufacturing capabilities, he partnered with J. Frank Kemmerline of the Cornwell Tool Co. and founded the Kennedy Tool Co. in 1925. Disagreements about the expansion of the company’s product offerings to other industries lead to Kennedy leaving the company in 1938, according to Ken-Tool.

Kennedy joined with John Lydle of Rittman Tool and Forge Co. to create a new company, Ken-Tool. Over the years, Ken-Tool and Kennedy Tool were rivals, but after Kemmerline sold Cornwell Tool, Ken-Tool took the opportunity two years later to purchase Kennedy Tool.

In 1966, Ken-Tool was sold to Cooper Industries and Ken-Tool became the seed for the Cooper Tool Group. In 1974, the Cooper era ended when the parent company sold Ken-Tool to Warren Tool Corp. Warren Tool ownership lasted for 20 years, ending in 1994. Warren Tool sold the other three lines and Ken-Tool emerged as an independent company again.

Throughout its history, Ken-Tool remained an Akron-based company. The company’s current headquarters and manufacturing facility produces 95% of the company’s product line.

GRI recently conducted programs in Sri Lanka to empower women and motivate children under its Green x Circle initiative. The company said these endeavors aimed to address the needs of the community, focusing on both women empowerment and youth motivation.

GRI recently organized a training program titled "Management of household finance under current economic conditions" at the Ingiriya Rubber Collecting Center in Sri Lanka, South Asia led by Shashika Nimali, an NLP practitioner and life coach. The company said this initiative provided women in the industry with essential skills and knowledge to effectively manage household finances. GRI's tailored training sessions equipped participants with tools for informed decision-making, ultimately fostering greater financial security and independence, the company said.