Frida Ortiz
Mr. Skipper
Encounters 7
February 14, 2022
For Those You Make The World
Introduction
Many people depend on power tools to get on with their lives. The Black And Decker corporation is the world's leading maker's power tool. The Black and Decker company was founded by Alonzo Galloway Decker and Samuel Duncan Black. Both Alonzo and Duncan were two industrial power tool engineers that have helped many people with their world-famous tools. Black was the president of the company. The Black and Decker name is “admired by craftsmen and tool users the world over” (S. Duncan Black). They first started to design and manufacture electric-powered tools. They faced many difficulties during the Great Depression. Even though many huge layoffs happened, the company nearly went bankrupt. Many loyal employees continued to work even though the company could not pay them. “Black and Decker's innovations brought power tools to the people and laid the foundation for the modern power tool industry” (S. Duncan Black). Today, the Black and Decker company is an industrial corporation serving builders and makers.
Early Life
Samuel Duncan Black was born on August 2, 1883, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Samuel W. Black and Alice Duncan. He had a total of five siblings Millard, Alice, Edith, Edward, and Robert. He got married in 1903 to his wife Anna. Together they had three children, Elizabeth, Alice, and Samuel. Black had an easier childhood than Decker. His parents were middle class. He got to attend high school and graduate. After that, he began to get into sales and went to work for the Rowland Telegraph Co., where he would later find his new business partner (S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr.).
Alonzo Galloway Decker was born on January 16, 1884, in Baltimore, Maryland. Alonzo was born to John A. Decker and Mary Elizabeth Galloway. His father was a cabinetmaker. He had only two siblings. Decker had a tough childhood. At the age of seven, his dad died. Which resulted in him finding a job at such a young age to help his family. His first job was at a foundry where he poured brass in molds to create things. Later, he got married to Fannie Dungan Fox. They both had three children together, Alonzo Galloway Decker Jr, Virginia L. Decker, and Jane T. Decker (S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr).
Beginning Of Career
Both Alonzo and Ducan were the ideal employees, even though there was still room for improvement. Black and Decker were both hired for the Rowland Telegraph Company. Decker was offered $25 by another company. But when Rowland refused the offer he quit. A customer encouraged Decker to start his own business and offered to pay as much for the business as possible. Feeling encouraged and ready, Decker opened his first shop. He tried to convince Black to join him. Black was hesitant to quit his job because he had a good income. But when Rowland cut his sales commission, he knew it was time to quit. In 1910 once both men quit their jobs they decided to begin their company with only $1,200 in the capital; only the lack of money got in their way. They first started making a bottle capping machine and candy-dipping device. ¨Black and Decker wanted to develop their own products-tools and machinery that would appeal to a broad market¨ (S. Duncan Black). In 1917 B&D released their first Black And Decker tool portable air compressor, which they named ¨Lectrowater.¨ Even though the product sold well, it wasn't enough to keep the company relevant. They later came out with their second tool, not knowing that it would start the power tool revolution and become something of a signature product that would define the company: a portable half-inch electric drill with a patented pistol grip and a trigger instead of a switch (Highlights In Black and Decker History).
Significant Accomplishments
The Black And Decker company has made many products in their life, but the product that changed their company forever was the portable electric drill. “Fueled by Decker's expert engineering and Black's uncanny sales ability, the company took off like a rocket” (S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr.). By 1918 The Black And Decker Company expanded worldwide. Black and Decker started with only 1,200 to invest and now has one million dollars just by annual sales. Later, Black and Decker started selling low-priced power tools. Even though The Black And Decker's company faced many problems during the Great Depression and World War II, they still managed to expand their company worldwide. Even though many huge layoffs happened, the company nearly went bankrupt. Many loyal employees continued to work even though the company couldn't pay them. When World War two began Black and Decker switched to selling shells, fuses, and other materials contributing to the war. Alonzo and Ducan were determined to avoid making the same mistakes they had made during World War I. ¨Black And Decker believed that the key was to postwar consumers¨(S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr.). ¨In 1942 the postwar committee was established (S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr.) In 1946 the Black and Decker company released the words first line of home power tools. Then in 1961, they introduced the cordless electric drill. At first, the electric drill was only seen as an industrial tool, and also seen as very expensive for customers at the time. But when the company started to notice that employees borrowed the drills to take home to work on their projects, it sparked an idea. The company had made plans for Black and Decker to manufacture power tools for do-it-yourself products (Highlights In Black and Decker History).
Impact on the world
The Black And Decker company has positively impacted the world with its power tools. To this day the Black and Decker Company is still one of the world's most marketable power tools companies. It's also the most used tool company for small household projects. “The company has manufacturing operations in 14 countries, and its products and services are marketed in more than 100 countries” (S. Duncan Black). Even if the Black And Decker company suffered many consequences during World War Two and the Great Depression they found a way to enlarge their company for the better. After The Great Depression and World War Two Black Decker became very popular, due to its do-it-yourself home products. The Black and Decker company started this project after they realized that many of its employees were taking the power tools home. They became the world's largest industrial power tool company. To this day, their company's product line has increased to include gardening and lawn products. It also includes household items such as “ the Dustbuster, security hardware, fastening systems, glass-container-making equipment, plumbing supplies, and even steel golf club shafts” (S. Duncan Black).
Lessons Learned From Their Lives
Both Alonzo G. Decker and S. Duncan Black were very hardworking businessmen that were extremely dedicated to their job and company. Both men were looked up to by many people due to them not giving up on their company even when they faced many problems. They faced many problems such as the Great Depression and World War II.
The Black and Decker company only had started with a couple of funds and now they are one of the biggest industrial power tool companies. One of the reasons why the Black and Decker Company is very successful is because of its way of marketing, both used by Black and Decker. Sadly Black died in 1951, but not everything went downhill; after that Decker passed down the company to his son Alonzo Decker Jr. Alonzo Jr. contributed to many of Black and Decker company projects such as the home products and also the pistol grip and the trigger-switch electric drill. The Black and Decker company is very admired by many others because of the challenges they had to go through to start their business. Both men had to quit their first official job, the Rowland Telegraph Company due to financial reasons. Everybody uses and depends on power tools at some point in their lives The Black and Decker Co. is a company that you can always count on.
Works Cited
¨Highlights In Black and Decker History.¨ The Baltimore Sun, March 14, 2010, www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2010-03-14-bal-black-decker-timeline-story.html. Accessed Jan. 17, 2022
¨History of the Black and Decker Corporation.¨ Reference For Business, www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/76/The-Black-Decker-Corporation.html. Accessed 12 Nov. 2021.
Kercheval, Nancy. “Alonzo G. Decker Sr. and his Business Partner, S. Duncan Black.” UPI, United Press International, 4 Oct. 1992, www.upi.com/Archives/1992/10/04/Alonzo-G-Decker-Sr-and-his-business-partner-S/8805718171200/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2021.
“S. Duncan Black & Alonzo G. Decker Sr.” Entrepreneur, 6 Aug. 2015, www.entrepreneur.com/article/197612. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.