Leatherman History
Our story
After spending his childhood in Oregon, Tim Leatherman stayed local and received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University. The idea that led to the formation of the Leatherman Tool Group occurred to Tim Leatherman during his honeymoon. Leatherman and his wife spent ten months touring Europe, staying at hostels and driving an untrustworthy $300 Fiat which convinced Tim of the need for a pliers based, multi-purpose tool. "I was carrying an old Boy Scout-type knife and used it for everything from slicing bread to making adjustments to the car. But I kept wishing I had a pair of pliers!"
Back home in the states, Tim set to work developing and patenting his idea. Shortly after his return he partnered with college friend Steve Berliner to continue building concepts and reaching out to potential prospects for sales. On July 5, 1983 Tim and Steve officially incorporated Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. based on a few simple, but fundamental principles: manufacture the highest quality products that deliver excellent value to the consumer, while providing good, living-wage jobs to the local workforce. Berliner and Leatherman reduced the tool's complexity, cutting its wholesale cost from $40 to $20. It was in that same year, after nearly a decade of knocking on doors and perfecting his idea, that they sold the very first Pocket Survival Tool (PST).
Thirty years later we're still going strong in the U.S. crafting the famous multi-tools and knives that can endure just about anything. Although Tim is now retired, his American spirit of ingenuity, innovation and quality craftsmanship still thrives in all of us. When asked about the company's devotion to quality, Tim always replies, "It has to be perfect; my name is on every tool."
By the end of 2001, the company had sold more than 20 million tools. It had a computerized drawing program in-house to design new tools, 450 workers, and sales of $100 million annually, with some of this income deriving from Leatherman fans who faithfully bought updates to the traditional models. The company's success notwithstanding, Tim Leatherman continued to pursue his goal: to get a Leatherman-brand tool into the hands of 20 percent of world's population. He also held to his four business fundamentals: provide on-time delivery, meet specs, increase value, and provide a pleasant work environment.
Tim Leatherman
