Shows & Events

Canadian Toolmaker Gray Tools Turns 100 (Press Release)

Date: 02/17/2012

Brampton, ON, Feb. 16, 2012 – Gray Tools, the only industrial-quality manufacturer of hand tools in Canada, is celebrating its 100^th anniversary throughout 2012. Gray Tools plans to celebrate by launching special edition tools and merchandise, holding contests, and having customers share their stories about projects and extraordinary achievements accomplished using Gray tools.

“Professionals who own Gray Tools are a passionate group,” says Alex Gray, owner of Gray Tools. “We’re constantly meeting with customers who have great stories about how the tools have made a difference in their lives or their business or showing us their collections. We occasionally have tools made during World War II coming back to us 60 years later for minor repair. We like to hear from our customers about what the tools mean to them.”

IDI recognizes Gray Tools at National event

The Canadian, third-generation family owned hand tool manufacturer was recently recognized by the Independent Distributors Inc. (IDI) group for its contributions to the industry. At a national event held in Montreal, the IDI group presented Alex Gray with a Group of Seven painting honouring the achievement.

“Alex, you exemplify the principles of your grandfather who founded Gray Tools and who is known to have said that ‘the quality of a man’s work and his choice of tools is the difference between prosperity and poverty’,” noted IDI President Scott Bebenek. “We salute your commitment to a century of manufacturing in our proud country.”

“This is a tremendously exciting year for both Gray Tools and its customers and we truly value the support of our customers,” says Alex Gray, owner of Gray Tools. “The competitive edge of Gray Tools is its flexibility, its ability to respond rapidly to changing customer demands and its commitment to add value with its problem-solving expertise. That’s been some of the keys to our success, along with our continual focus on quality and customer service.”

Family owned Gray Tools Canada Inc. (www.graytools.com) has been manufacturing high-quality hand tools in Canada since 1912. The company currently offers more than 4,000 industrial product solutions, operates two warehouses in Canada, and proudly maintains service levels well in excess of 90 per cent.

For more information, contact:

Dragos Baicoianu, Brand Manager, Gray Tools Canada

905-457-3014, dragosb@graytools.com

Hugh Black, Public Relations Consultant, Schembri Group for Gray Tools

905-361-7410 X367

Brampton Guardian Article: Gray Tools Marks 100 Years

Date: 02/17/2012

Brampton’s Gray Tools has seen a few economic downturns prior to the current recession, but has managed to weather them all to reach an important milestone.
The Orenda Road hand tools manufacturer celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
“Our success is really because we respect our customers,” said Gary Nuttall, president. “Our customers are basically our success.”
The family-owned company was the first manufacturer of hand tools in Canada.
It started in Toronto in 1912 before eventually moving operations to Brampton in the 1970s.
Nuttall couldn’t stress enough the importance of customer service on the company’s success.
He said it's the focus on customer services that has nurtured the company's longevity and helped it outlast all other competitors.
Today, Gray Tools is the only industrial-quality manufacturer of hand tools in the country.
The company employs 55 people.
“We have customers today that we’ve had since the 1950s. And really it comes down to the company philosophy on customer service,” Nuttall added.
But the success of the business also comes down to the quality of the product.
Alex Gray, the latest generation of Grays to head up the firm, touted the company’s reputation of building a superior tool.
“We’re constantly meeting with customers who have great stories about how the tools have made a difference in their lives or their business or showing us their collections,” he said. “We occasionally have tools made during (the Second World War) coming back to us 60 years later for minor repair.”
To mark the important milestone, Gray Tools is launching special edition tools and merchandise, holding contests, and having customers share their stories about projects and extraordinary achievements accomplished using Gray tools.
The company is also planning an employee reunion at the Brampton plant, 299 Orenda Rd., in June.

Link to original article:http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/business/article/1299662--gray-tools-marks-100-years