Like so many of the largest corporations, Black & Decker had a humble beginning. Back in 1910, two men – S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker – decided to set out on their own and become successful entrepreneurs.
With an investment of only $1,200, they purchase a machine shop in Maryland and began developing products, such as a machine that was used for candy-dipping.

For the first few years, the business trotted along. Then in 1914, the two young men developed a product that would become the backbone of the company: the electric drill.

It was in this year that they patented the idea which included a regular drill modified with a trigger switch and a pistol grip. Just two years later, this portable drill had been released into the industry and revolutionized it.

Together Black & Decker, as the company eventually became named, created the power tool industry which is one of the most lucrative segments even today.
After that initial success, they continued to build the company. They open a factory near Baltimore, listed the company on the Baltimore stock exchange, began pursuing foreign sales markets, and started purchasing other tool companies. All of this happened by 1928 – just 14 years after they started the business.

In the mid-1940’s, the company made another revolutionary decision. They had discovered that many employees were “borrowing” the drills in order to do work on their own homes.

As a result, they started a line of tools specifically for do-it-yourself home owners who wanted to handle their own renovations. Today, the DIY movement is huge all across the United States.