Bostitch

Bostitch is an American fastening-tools brand whose roots go back to the Boston Wire Stitcher Company, founded in Arlington, Massachusetts, in 1896 by Thomas Briggs. Briggs had developed a machine that stitched books using wire supplied from a coil, establishing the business in commercial binding and industrial stitching equipment. Over time, the company broadened its work into a variety of stapling and fastening machines, eventually becoming associated with office staplers, industrial fastening equipment, construction nailers, and pneumatic tools. The brand’s history includes several developments that helped shape modern stapling. In 1914, Bostitch introduced the Model AO, described as its first portable stapling machine and an early predecessor of the desk stapler. In 1924, it introduced the Bostitch No. 1, a stapler designed to use cohered strips of staples in a form closer to the modern standard. The design combined relatively low cost with dependable operation and helped establish Bostitch as a recognizable name in office fastening. During the Second World War, the company participated in the New England Small Arms Corporation, a consortium of six firms involved in manufacturing M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles. After the war, the company formally adopted the name BOSTITCH in 1948, combining elements of “Boston” and “stitch.” It moved from Westerly, Rhode Island, to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, in 1957, where the company has been associated with its present headquarters location. Ownership changed during the second half of the twentieth century. Textron acquired the company in 1966, and Stanley Works purchased it from Textron in January 1986. Following the later combination of Stanley Works and Black & Decker, Bostitch became part of Stanley Black & Decker’s brand portfolio. The brand continues to cover fastening products for office, home, woodworking, construction, and industrial applications. Its range has included manual and electric staplers, staple guns, pneumatic and cordless nailers, riveters, glue guns, fasteners, and selected tools such as pencil sharpeners. Bostitch has also developed a linguistic association in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, where the brand name has reportedly become a generic verb associated with stapling. In the 2010s, Stanley Black & Decker expanded the Bostitch-branded assortment offered to tradespeople and mechanics, including power tools, hand tools, and pneumatic tools. In August 2013, these products began appearing through Walmart stores and online distributors. The brand’s present positioning combines professional fastening equipment with products intended for office, household, construction, woodworking, and do-it-yourself use.

Bostitch originated in Arlington, Massachusetts, in 1896, when Thomas Briggs founded the Boston Wire Stitcher Company. Briggs had invented equipment that bound books by stitching them with wire drawn from a coil. The early business therefore concentrated on commercial bookbinding and industrial stitching machinery rather than on the consumer staplers for which the name later became widely recognized. The company gradually expanded its engineering and manufacturing activities into other forms of industrial stapling. Its 1914 Model AO was an important step because it was a portable stapling machine, making the fastening mechanism more practical for use outside large commercial equipment. The Model AO is commonly regarded as an ancestor of the modern desk stapler. In 1924, Bostitch introduced the No. 1, one of the first staplers designed around modern-style cohered strips of staples. Its comparatively inexpensive and reliable construction helped popularize the Bostitch name in office fastening. The company’s wartime activities extended beyond ordinary office and industrial products. During the Second World War, it joined five other companies in the New England Small Arms Corporation, which manufactured M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles. After the war, the company continued developing stapling and fastening products and formally changed its name to BOSTITCH in 1948. The name was formed from “Boston” and “stitch,” reflecting the company’s original identity and technical heritage. In 1957, Bostitch moved from Westerly, Rhode Island, to East Greenwich, Rhode Island. A further milestone came in 1966, when Textron acquired the company. Stanley Works later acquired Bostitch from Textron in January 1986. Bostitch subsequently became part of the broader Stanley Black & Decker portfolio following the combination of Stanley Works and Black & Decker. Under Stanley Black & Decker, the brand has remained centered on fastening while extending across several end markets. Its products have included office staplers and staple guns, industrial and construction nailers, pneumatic tools, riveters, glue guns, and consumable fasteners such as staples, nails, and screws. The range has also included selected office and workshop products, including pencil sharpeners, as well as tools aimed at tradespeople and mechanics. In August 2013, Stanley Black & Decker broadened the retail and distribution presence of Bostitch-branded tradesmen’s power tools, mechanics’ hand tools, and pneumatic tools through Walmart stores and online distributors. This initiative positioned Bostitch not only as an office-stapler name but also as a broader professional and jobsite-tools brand. The company’s name has acquired an unusual degree of recognition in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, where a verb derived from Bostitch is reportedly used as a synonym for stapling, including in official documents. Bostitch remains an active Stanley Black & Decker brand serving office, household, woodworking, construction, and industrial users.

1. 2013Expanded trade-tool distribution

   Stanley Black & Decker began distributing Bostitch-branded power tools, mechanics’ hand tools, and pneumatic tools through Walmart and online distributors.

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2. 1986Acquired by Stanley Works

   Stanley Works acquired Bostitch from Textron in January 1986.

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3. 1966Acquired by Textron

   Textron purchased Bostitch.

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4. 1957Move to East Greenwich, Rhode Island

   Bostitch moved from Westerly, Rhode Island, to East Greenwich, its current associated location.

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5. 1948Company adopts the BOSTITCH name

   The company officially changed its name to BOSTITCH, a combination of “Boston” and “stitch.”

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6. 1942Participation in New England Small Arms Corporation

   During the Second World War, Bostitch joined five other firms in a consortium that manufactured M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles.

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7. 1924Bostitch No. 1 introduced

   The company introduced a stapler using modern-style cohered strips of staples, emphasizing affordability and reliability.

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8. 1914Model AO portable stapling machine introduced

   Bostitch introduced the Model AO, a portable stapler regarded as an early predecessor of the modern desk stapler.

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9. 1896Boston Wire Stitcher Company founded

   Thomas Briggs founded the company in Arlington, Massachusetts, around machinery for stitching books with wire from a coil.

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A professional-oriented fastening and jobsite-tools brand serving office, home, woodworking, construction, and industrial users.

• Office staplersOffice fastening equipment1914

  Bostitch’s office staplers are part of the brand’s historical foundation. The company’s portable Model AO and later No. 1 helped establish product formats associated with desk stapling, while the broader office range has included manual and powered stapling equipment for workplace and institutional use.

• Staple gunsManual and powered fastening tools

  Staple guns extend Bostitch’s fastening expertise into household, upholstery, woodworking, installation, and construction tasks. They are designed for driving staples into suitable materials and complement the company’s office staplers and industrial fastening systems.

• NailersConstruction and pneumatic tools

  Bostitch nailers are intended for professional and workshop applications such as framing, finish work, roofing, flooring, and other construction tasks. The brand has offered pneumatic and other powered fastening equipment, supported by compatible nails and related consumables.

• FastenersConsumables

  The brand’s consumables include staples, nails, and screws used with its fastening tools. These products support office, woodworking, construction, and industrial workflows and are an important complement to Bostitch-branded staplers, staple guns, and nailers.

• Riveters and glue gunsHand and adhesive tools

  Bostitch’s stated product scope has included riveters and glue guns, broadening the brand beyond staple- and nail-driven fastening. These tools address assembly, repair, craft, workshop, and light industrial tasks where mechanical or adhesive joining is required.

• Tradesmen’s and mechanics’ toolsProfessional tools2013

  Beginning in 2013, Stanley Black & Decker used the Bostitch name for a wider assortment of tradesmen’s power tools, mechanics’ hand tools, and pneumatic tools. The range was distributed through Walmart stores and online channels, extending the brand’s reach among jobsite and workshop users.

• 2013Expand Bostitch into broader professional toolsStrategy

  Bostitch had long been associated with staplers and fastening equipment, while its parent company also maintained wider tool businesses.

  What changed. Stanley Black & Decker began selling Bostitch-branded tradesmen’s power tools, mechanics’ hand tools, and pneumatic tools through Walmart stores and online distributors.

  Aftermath. The move broadened Bostitch’s retail presence and product identity beyond office staplers and fastening consumables.

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• 2013Stanley Black & Decker expands Bostitch-branded trade and mechanics tools distribution

  In August 2013, Stanley Black & Decker began selling tradesmen’s power tools, mechanics’ hand tools, and pneumatic tools under the Bostitch name through Walmart stores and online distributors.

  Product launch
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1. Bostitch
2. Bostitch official website