Sidchrome is an Australian brand of mechanics' tools. It is a
subsidiary of
Stanley Black & Decker
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., formerly known as The Stanley Works, is a Fortune 500 American manufacturer of industrial tools and household hardware and provider of security products. Headquartered in the greater Hartford city of New Britain, ...
.
History
The brand emerged when
Royston Siddons' Siddons Drop Forgings Pty Ltd turned to tool making to fill post war shortages after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. Original production of Sidchrome tools in Australia was in the area of Brunswick, in the city of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
, Victoria.
Sidchrome was acquired by
The Stanley Works (now Stanley Black & Decker) in 1991.
Sidchrome closed the plant and ended all local manufacturing in 1996 and started to move all tool manufacturing to Taiwan, whilst sourcing various items from Proto in the USA (marked as Proto on items) due to supply of left-over Australian-made tools being sold out until all manufacturing was fully established in Taiwan.
Racing
Sidchrome sponsored several Australian and New Zealand racing drivers in the 1970s, notably New Zealand and Australian saloon champion
Jim Richards.
Present
Sidchrome is still a top selling automotive tool brand in Australia and New Zealand and since 2007, the brand sponsors the ''Most Improved Award'' in Australia's
V8 Supercar Championship Series.
References
External links
*
Founder Royston Siddon's entry at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
{{Power tool manufacturers
Automotive tool manufacturers
Tool manufacturing companies of Australia
Australian brands
Stanley Black & Decker brands
1990 mergers and acquisitions
Manufacturing companies based in Melbourne