Monday, January 22, 2018

Vanished Tool Brands: Fleet Tools, Chicago, Illinois


I only occasionally come across Fleet tools, which were also made in Canada at one point.  Ratchets and sockets are most common.



Plomb Tools of Los Angeles acquired the Penens Corporation of Chicago, Illinois in 1942.  Shortly after this acquisition, Penens produced tools under the Fleet and Challenger brands. In 1947 Penens registered a trademark for "Fleet Quality Tools" with a wing-like design and produced Fleet branded tools for a number of years. By the mid 1960s the Penens Corporation had changed its name to the Fleet Tool Company. The parent company began manufacturing its tools with the Proto name. In 1957, the company began operating as Pendleton Tool Industries. In 1964, Proto was acquired by Ingersoll Rand, and in 1984, it was acquired by Stanley and became Stanley Proto Industrial Tools, now Stanley Black & Decker.




5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I inherited a Fleetset that has a 1967 guide on the inside of the top in perfect condition. My father-in-law has a mercedes and never really got into working on it, dream as he might. However I am not surprised that he bought the best that was made to use. He loved his tools.

I found this little pice you did very elevating.

Thank you for putting it up.

Mister G said...

You're welcome!

Greg Mohr said...

I have a ratchet “1260 MFD USA FLEET”. Must have grandpa’s?

Greg Mohr said...

I have a ratchet “1260 MFD USA FLEET”. Must have grandpa’s?

PD Parsons said...

I'm late to the party here, but I discovered it by doing a search under the title of, "Are Fleet Tools still made?" My late Dad bought a set by mail, probably in the mid to late 1960s, and I really thought that was "some tool set!" when it arrived.. I was a young teenager (a kid) but Dad was very generous and let me use the tools as needed when working on everything from my bicycle to my very old first car. I have the tool set including the original heavy metal box with a metal name and address tag on it as sent by Fleet, and it of course shows our address of that time, now long past. I'm now 70, but when I brought the old tool box home from my dad's house after he passed in 2012, I have always looked upon it with a bit of a lump in my throat and love in my heart.