In 1938, the Mechanics Tool and Forge Company was started with a mission statement to manufacture the finest tools in the world. The first step toward this goal was taken on July 11, 1938, when the Articles of Incorporation were signed and the firm was officially recognized by the State of Ohio. The state issued 250 shares of no par common stock, with only 55 shares initially subscribed due to budget concerns.[1] Mac Tools continued to grow in the 1940s with a large government contract received in 1942. The company’s name was changed in 1961 to the now familiar Mac Tools from its earlier name, Mechanics Tool and Forge Company. In 1980, Mac Tools was bought by the Stanley Works, and is now part of a group of brands including Stanley Tools, Proto, Facom, and Blackhawk a subsidiary of Proto Tools.