SK Hand Tool LLC, an American manufacturer of premium-quality tools for the professional mechanic, recently announced its first shipments of sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, wrenches and specialty tools to distributors and mobile tool dealers since the SK brand was acquired by IDEAL Industries, Inc. in August 2010.

The tools — many manufactured using original dies from now-shuttered SK Hand Tool plants in Chicago and Ohio — are being produced in a newly-built, state-of-the-art headquarters in Sycamore, IL, and in Colorado Springs, CO.
 
"SK is an iconic American brand that we are proud to continue manufacturing in the United States," said Doug Spitler, vice president/general manager of SK Hand Tool. LLC. "We’re excited to show mechanics the SK brand is alive and well, and in fact, better than ever."  
 
IDEAL has fully leveraged its considerable resources into assuring the success of its SK acquisition. Along with building a new 130,000-square foot facility in Sycamore, it has invested in technically advanced metalworking, and CNC machinery to guarantee superior tool quality, and has refurbished essential equipment salvaged from SK plants. Modern management practices, such as small batch and one piece flow manufacturing, are being applied, resulting in world-class quality and on-time shipping capabilities to SK dealers and distributors, and ultimately, greater end-user satisfaction.   
 
SK Hand Tool, LLC, as the company is now known, will manufacture the full line of SK brand tools that professional mechanics continue to demand. Mechanics can continue to expect the superior corrosion resistenace of the SuperKrome finish, the excellent grip and torque of the SureGrip screwdrivers and the quality and variety of the SupetSet socket sets.    
 
For more information, call (800) 825-5575. On the web, visit the newly launched www.skhandtool.com.