Kwikset facts for kids
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A Kwikset electronic lock with optional operation using a conventional key. This electronic deadbolt uses a Weiser keypad and is a hybrid combining features of Kwikset and Weiser brand locks.
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Founders | Adolf Schoepe Karl Rhinehart |
| Parent | Assa Abloy |
Kwikset is an American company that makes locks for homes and businesses. It is owned by a larger company called Assa Abloy. Kwikset started in California in 1946. It was founded by two friends, Adolf Schoepe and Karl Rhinehart.
The company's name, Kwikset, comes from its very first locks. These locks had a special design that made them super fast to install. That's why they called them "Kwikset" – because they could be "quick-set" into place! You can find Kwikset keys (like KW1) almost anywhere keys are made.
Contents
Kwikset's Story: From Start to Now
How Kwikset Began
Adolf Schoepe and Karl Rhinehart started their company, Gateway Manufacturing Company, in South Gate, California, just after World War II. They began making locks under the Kwikset name. In 1948, they moved their company to Anaheim. During the Korean War, fewer people were buying locks. But the company took a chance and kept making more locks than they were selling. When the war ended, demand for locks grew quickly. Because Kwikset had so many locks ready, they became the biggest lock supplier in the United States.
Changes in Ownership and New Products
Karl Rhinehart retired from the company in 1952. Adolf Schoepe sold Kwikset in 1957 to a company called American Hardware Corporation. Later, in 1964, American Hardware Corporation joined with Emhart Manufacturing Corporation. Then, in 1989, Black & Decker bought Kwikset.
In 1992, Kwikset launched a new line of stronger, more secure locks called Titan. Around 2005, these high-quality locks were renamed the "Signature Series."
In March 2010, Stanley Tools bought Black & Decker. This meant Kwikset became part of Stanley Black & Decker's Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) Group. This group also owned other lock companies like Weiser and Baldwin. Over time, Kwikset locks started using many features from Weiser. Weiser locks now even use Kwikset's "SmartKey" technology, which lets you easily change the lock's key yourself.
In October 2012, a company called Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. agreed to buy the HHI division from Stanley Black & Decker. This deal included Kwikset. The sale was completed by the end of 2012.
Later, in September 2021, Assa Abloy announced that it would buy Spectrum Brands' HHI division, including Kwikset. This big purchase was completed on June 20, 2023. So, Kwikset is now part of Assa Abloy.
Where Kwikset Locks Are Made
Kwikset has factories in different places. They make locks in Denison, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, in the United States. They also have a factory in Mexicali, Mexico, and another facility in China.
Kwikset used to have factories in Anaheim, California; Bristow, Oklahoma; and Waynesboro, Georgia. But starting in 1996, these factories were closed. The company decided to make most of its locks at the Mexicali factory to make things simpler. Kwikset's main office is in Lake Forest, California.
