Meadville, Pa. – – September 28, 2026 -- Three Pennsylvania manufacturers -- CHANNELLOCK, W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company and Zippo Manufacturing Company -- are marking Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2 with a joint limited-edition product set, collectively employing more than 1,150 people across Meadville and Bradford, Pa., and representing roughly 355 years of combined company history.
Three brands release a joint 140th anniversary collection manufactured in Pennsylvania
The CHANNELLOCK 140th Anniversary Set pairs the CHANNELLOCK 426 6.5-inch Tongue & Groove Pliers with a CHANNELLOCK BLUE Zippo windproof lighter and a CHANNELLOCK BLUE Case Sod Buster Jr. pocket knife, all produced domestically by the three companies.
CHANNELLOCK employs 350 workers and produces over 75 plier variants in Meadville
Founded in 1886, CHANNELLOCK remains family-owned and operated in Meadville, Pa., where it manufactures more than 75 different sizes and types of pliers on American soil.
Case runs a 300-worker knife operation in Bradford requiring up to 100 production steps
Case has manufactured premium knives in Bradford, Pa., since 1905, with each knife requiring upwards of 100 manufacturing processes despite decades of technological investment aimed at optimizing output.
Zippo has produced more than 650 million windproof lighters since 1932
Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, Zippo employs around 500 people across its Bradford manufacturing facilities and corporate offices, with every lighter bearing the Bradford, Pennsylvania, name.
"Manufacturing is more than a location on a label. It's people showing up and taking pride in work that lasts," said William S. DeArment, Chairman and CEO of CHANNELLOCK.
Grant B. Duke, President, CEO and co-owner of Zippo and Case, said the companies are investing in local workforce development through scholarships, apprenticeships and partnerships with a nearby university to support the next generation of manufacturing talent in Bradford.