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The Applied Concepts
success story began in 1986 when a retired engineer named William Warheit
shared his idea with Dr. Hal Wrigley, a dentist. Wrigley was so taken with
the concept that he sold his thriving dental practice and committed himself
full-time to developing the unique, one-hand pliers.
Upon acquiring
the rights to manufacture the pliers in 1987, Wrigley patented the tool's
unique cam action. He also started Applied Concepts, Inc. (ACI) and spent
the next six years learning the toolmaking business from the ground up.
Early versions
of the tool were forged, but the high manufacturing costs put them out of
the price range of the average consumer. A decision was made to use laminated
construction. Not only did this reduce the cost of the pliers, it improved
their strength and appearance.
Wrigley approached a team
of engineers at Carnegie-Mellon University to help perfect the tool's design
even further. That effort resulted in curving the handles and switching
to a strong but lightweight material. The product was named RoboGrip because
of its angular, robotic look and automatic adjustment.
In 1993, RoboGrip
earned accolades from two magazines--a "Top 20 Tools" award from
Motor Trend and a "Best of What's New" recognition by Popular
Science. That same year, Applied Concepts entered into an agreement
with Sears, Roebuck & Co. that resulted in millions of dollars in sales
for both companies as RoboGrip became the most successful hand tool in the
history of Sears.
As part of Emerson
Electric Co., Applied Concepts has the resources to develop a wide assortment
of advanced, value-added tools. The company is committed to introducing
unique products that stand apart from traditional
hand tools, and will soon be launching several new products that will continue
to revolutionize the hand tool industry.
For more information on Applied Concepts, Inc.
or its unique products, contact:
Manufacturers of RoboGrip® Pliers
Western Forge, 4607 Forge Rd., Colorado Springs, CO.
80907 U.S.A.
Phone: (719) 598-5070
General Office Fax: (719) 265-2521
Sales and Marketing: (719) 598-5070
E-Mail: webmaster@robogrip.com
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