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Vintage advertisement for DEWALT featuring an illustration of a woodworking machine and text promoting higher profits in construction. The ad describes the machine as highly responsive and lists distributors on the right side.Vintage advertisement for DEWALT featuring an illustration of a woodworking machine and text promoting higher profits in construction. The ad describes the machine as highly responsive and lists distributors on the right side.Vintage advertisement for DEWALT featuring an illustration of a woodworking machine and text promoting higher profits in construction. The ad describes the machine as highly responsive and lists distributors on the right side.
DEWALT 100 Years logo, featuring the DEWALT yellow and black brand design next to the text '100 Years' in blue and black.

Since 1924

For a century, our commitment to excellence has been unwavering. DEWALT® is more than a brand; it's a symbol of trust for world-builders. As we mark 100 years, we celebrate our history, standing strong with the pros who have relied on us since day one.

Strong foundations

Raymond DeWalt’s invention of the radial arm saw in the 1920s ushers in a new era of jobsite productivity, and the company begins distributing products internationally. DEWALT becomes a soaring success postwar, even influencing national safety policy. DEWALT’s start lays a strong foundation for the iconic brand.

A vintage black-and-white newspaper advertisement for Dewalt Wagon Works in Oakville, Pennsylvania, featuring bold headlines and text detailing the risks of improper wheel setting and offering guaranteed wheel building and repair services by R. E. Dewalt.

1910

Raymond DeWalt learned the trades at his dad John’s wagon shop. Now the proprietor of Dewalt Wagon Works, Raymond emphasizes safety, highlighting his knowledge of jobsites in an ad.

A black and white portrait photograph of a person wearing a suit and tie. The face is obscured by a grey rectangle, making the person unidentifiable.

1921 (Sep. 27)

Raymond sets to work on his first invention, filing his first of 10 patents and building the foundation for the iconic radial arm saw.

Technical drawing of a woodworking machinery patent by R. E. DeWalt, dated March 3, 1925. The diagram features mechanical components, including a circular saw blade and assembly details, accompanied by labeled parts and handwritten inventor and attorney signatures.

1923 (Jan. 27)

Raymond DeWalt files his second patent. This patent showcases an innovative woodworking machine—an adjustable radial arm saw.

A vintage advertisement for the DeWALT Wonder-Worker features a black-and-white illustration of a construction machine (saw) and detailed text describing its benefits, such as faster cutting, portability, and simplicity. Distributor locations and contact information are listed on the right. The ad is from DeWALT PRODUCTS CO., Leola, Pennsylvania.

1924 (Dec. 29)

DEWALT Products Co. is founded. After the success of his invention, the adjustable radial arm saw, Raymond DeWalt sells his company and the patents to Paul Gardner and Isaac Rutt. The founding invention, the radial arm saw, comes to be known as the “Wonder-Worker.”

A vintage advertisement from June 1926 for the DEWALT Wonder-Worker, an economy woodworker machine, published in American Builder magazine. The ad features text describing the capabilities and benefits of the machine, including its portability, efficiency, and quality, with testimonials from various users. There is a black-and-white photo showing a person operating the machine, performing woodworking tasks, along with a diagram illustrating tenoning. The bottom section lists the DEWALT Products Company address in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

1925–1926

Early adoption of DEWALT’s radial arm saw inspires pro testimonials.

We are doing all our fine interior finish with built-in work right on the job[site] with the [Wonder-Worker], and are doing a better grade of work than the average millwork shop turns out.”

As the pros from Miller & King, Longview, WA, state.1925-26
A vintage newspaper clipping with the headline 'Hawaii Leads in Saw Sales.' The article discusses Benjamin F. Baker, the director of the foreign department for DeWalt Products Corp, visiting Hawaii and reporting that Hawaii leads in sales of DeWalt Wonder Worker Saws with France as a close second. The article mentions business improvements and talks about Baker's travels.

1930

DEWALT takes the world by storm. DEWALT cements its early global success as Benjamin F. Baker— DEWALT’s director of the foreign department—travels the globe, meeting with DEWALT’s national and international distributors.

Cover page of a document titled 'Safety Code for Woodworking Plants as Revised, 1930,' published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, as Bulletin No. 519. The cover includes references to American Standards Association approval, sponsors, and printing office details.

1930 (Published in April)

DEWALT Products Co. is selected for its jobsite safety expertise to be among 21 organizations that serve on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Sectional Committee on Safety Code for Woodworking Machinery.

Vintage advertisement for DEWALT Products Corporation from August 1941. The ad features images of military vehicles such as airplanes, a battleship, a tank, and industrial buildings, highlighting the company’s contribution to national defense by supplying machinery that delivers speed and accuracy. The text emphasizes the importance of rapid production in defense-related industries and promotes DEWALT saws and machines for lumber and metal working.

1941

DEWALT begins a period of rapid expansion to meet the demands of government orders in connection with national defense and wartime machinery requirements.

A black and white image of a vintage newspaper page. The page contains several columns of small text, black and white photographs depicting people, and illustrated advertisements. One ad displays women's shoes and a woman in a decorative hat. The newspaper layout is classic, with borders, and a section has been obscured for privacy.

1942

Raymond DeWalt begins teaching the next generation of young pros the trades as a superintendent at the National Youth Administration’s shops in York, PA.

A vintage black and white photo showing a group of eight men standing in front of a brick building with their faces intentionally blurred.

1945

Passionate about the future of the trades, Raymond DeWalt is one of the first instructors in Mechanicsburg High School’s vocational industrial arts program.

100 years in the making

1960-1994

Growing with the pros

Black & Decker acquires DEWALT in 1960. Competition for market share challenges DEWALT to reevaluate its business strategy.

A name that means something

When you put your name on something, it’s more than a label. It’s a promise. A commitment to get the job done right. It’s the mark we’ve left over 100 years of helping world-builders build the modern world.

Video of DEWALT 100th anniversary and history of Raymond DeWalt and the history of the DEWALT brand

Since 1924, the DEWALT name has stood for the pros, and it still does—for doing work to the highest standards. As we celebrate 100 years, we’re honoring where we’ve been without losing sight of where we’re going—because the best is yet to come.

Our original pro

Raymond Dewalt invented and patented the Wonder-Worker, an adjustable radial arm electric saw. Saving the user from tedious, backbreaking labor, the tool could accomplish 29 different cutting operations without significantly changing the setup, thus revolutionizing productivity and profitability on the jobsite.
A black and white portrait photograph of a person wearing a suit and tie. The face is obscured by a grey rectangle, making the person unidentifiable.

You see, in every shop or construction position I have ever had, the question of high costs had been dinned into my ears."

Raymond DeWalt

A worker wearing high-visibility protective clothing and a red helmet stands on an industrial road, holding DEWALT tools. Wind turbines and factory structures are visible in the background on a clear day.

Dewalt: for the future

A DEWALT jobsite has always allowed pros to save time and money without compromising on safety, power, or quality. We’ll always innovate to change the world, but we’ll never change who we are.

 

In 2024, we electrified the concrete jobsite with the launch of the DEWALT POWERSHIFT™ Cordless Equipment System, built for epic performance and runtime. The complete battery-powered lineup lets users TAKE CONTROL™ without waiting to start, stopping to refuel, or being limited by gas.

 

From revolutionizing the electric jobsite in 1924 to advancing cordless tools in 1994 and delivering a groundbreaking cordless system to the concrete industry in 2024, it’s clear we relentlessly charge ahead and have no intentions of slowing down.

100 years

As we look to tomorrow, we are committed to empowering pros with superior full trade solutions and a century’s worth of hard-won knowledge about performance and safety. As in our earliest days, we’re continuing to innovate products and solutions that meet even the most rigorous demands of today’s world builders. Our commitment includes supporting the next generation of pros through trade scholarships and Grow the Trades grants. Countless jobsites later, our belief in making you the best pro you can be is as strong as ever.

 

For 100 years, it’s been a name that is respected on every project and in every trade. A name that’s earned its place everywhere you see it.

A person wearing a safety helmet and vest is using a DEWALT circular saw to cut wooden boards at a construction site with exposed wooden beams in the background.