Matco is a toolbox manufacturer.
Originally, Matco was a company called “Mac Allied Tools” which operated in Akron, Ohio.
There was some sort of agreement with a couple other separately held tool companies, one of which was the “Mechanics' Tool & Forge Company of Sabina, Ohio”, and the other of which was the “Clinton Tool Company”.
The three companies were originally separate, but with an agreement to work together.
Later, the Clinton Tool Company became part of the Mechanics Tool and Forge Company.
Mac Allied Tools, remained working with the other entity, but remained a separate company, with different management.
In 1979, Mac Allied Tools separated their arrangement with Mechanics’ Tool and Forge Company, which had used the “MAC” brand name since the 1940s, and Mac Allied Tools, started using the “Matco” name
In 1980, “MAC Tools” was purchased by Stanley Tools, which sort of presumes Mac Allied Tools, knew that Stanley was purchasing “MAC Tools” and did not want to become part of Stanley Tools.
Alloy-Artifacts has good histories on a lot of the various US tool manufacturers.
An article on MAC Tools.
alloy-artifacts.org
After Matco split off from MAC Tools, it looks like Matco became part of Chicago-Pneumatic, or part of the Jacobs Manufacturing Company, (of the Jacobs Chuck), which then became part of Chicago Pneumatic.
Chicago Pneumatic was then purchased by the Danaher Corporation, maybe in 1986, with the Danaher Corporation keeping the Jacobs Manufacturing division, and Matco, but selling Chicago Pneumatic to Atlas Copco of Sweden in 1987.
The Danaher Corporation owned a number of tool brands and manufacturers, and used those in many cases to make the Matco branded tools, since Matco has a Tool Box manufacturer.
Armstrong became part of Danaher in 1994.
Matco remained part of Danaher’s Tool division until Danaher reorganized their tool divisions into Apex Tools corporation, and a separate entity called Fortive (which also included Fluke, the Multimeter manufacturer).
Apex Tools got sold to Bain Capital, (who offshored a lot of the manufacturing), and Fortive got split apart, and Matco then wound up as part of a separate Corporation called “Vontier Corporation”.
It’s easier yo keep track of European royal family trees in some cases than these corporate entities and divisions.
