A constant dilemma in every machine shop is the time it takes to find suppliers. A recent study estimated 18% of an engineer’s time is spent locating vendors. Fast, efficient, high quality manufacturing is the name of the game in today’s industry. Carr Lane Manufacturing Co. has made a commitment to provide shops what they need to remain competitive...a wide range of quality products for design and manufacturing, on time delivery and easy access to information.

Carr Lane has provided industry-standard parts to engineers and industrial equipment buyers in a host of industries in its 50+-year history, including automotive, furniture, appliance, medical and aerospace.

Carr Lane's goal, under the ownership of Earl and Myrtle Walker, has always been to stay ahead of an evolving industry and provide savings through standardized parts.

In this technological age, Carr Lane is coming up with new and better ways to serve you. Its 694-page catalog, containing more than 100,000 items, is now available on CD-ROM and online at www.carrlane.com. There, more than 20,000 CAD drawings are available free to viewers, the largest collection in the industry, in 2D, 3D and 3D solids.

Carr Lane's web site, www.carrlane.com, streamlines the ordering process with key features like a price/availability check, a quote look up, order tracking and much more.

New technologies and new methods have sped up the entire manufacturing process, from

design to delivery, and Carr Lane has continued to provide engineers with the innovations they need.

Known primarily for jig and fixture components, Carr Lane manufactures toggle clamps, modular fixturing, drill bushings, alignment pins, knobs, chuck jaws, and power workholding. Since Carr Lane offers products for a variety of areas in any machine shop, most shops consider Carr Lane a strong link in their supply chain. Customers especially like Carr Lane’s longevity, now with over 50 years in business.

Carr Lane is proud to offer its customers the following advantages:

• More than 100,000 Products - Less Searching Means Less Wasted Time for You
• High Quality Products that Meet Rigorous Standards
• Same Day Shipping if Order is Placed Before 3 p.m. CST - Possible Because of Our Vast Inventory
• Special Orders and Modifications Available
• Our Illustrated Online Catalog is Completely Searchable by Part Number, Part Name, or Category
• Free, Downloadable CAD Drawings are Available by Clicking on the Part Number in our Online Catalog

It was June 17, 1952. Carr Lane Manufacturing Company was known as S. N. W. Welding, and its principal owners were Myrtle Walker, Earl Walker, June Shinkle and Alan Netzler.

While working as a foreman in the Tooling Division at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company, Earl Walker saw an ever-increasing need for standardized parts. Earl knew that McDonnell Douglas could save time and money if needed parts did not have to be specially made every time there was an order. Earl, with this in mind, started standardizing the manufacturing of a few parts in an old wooden garage at 554 South Harrison.

A broken-down welder, a hacksaw, drill press, and no money to expand were all Earl and company started with. They worked at night and on weekends making three different standardized pins that McDonnell Douglas used frequently, but had difficulty obtaining. All kept working at their regular day jobs to raise enough funds to purchase additional equipment and expand the product line.

In 1953 the welder malfunctioned, starting a fire that quickly burned down the old garage housing S.N.W. The company was forced to relocate to larger and newer quarters on Shortridge Lane. At that time the Shortridge Building had 2,500 sq. ft., of which S.N.W. occupied 1,000 sq. ft.

Many positive changes began taking place. Joining S.N.W. was a man named B.E. “Gene” Pogue, who would prove to be a key and influential person, first at S.N.W., and later at Carr Lane. S.N.W. also replaced its welder with two used spot welders and purchased a used milling machine.

In late 1953 the S.N.W. owners decided that the company name was too specific, as they were trying to accomplish more than just welding. A lengthy discussion ensued, leading the owners outside the building, now located on the corner of Shortridge Lane and Creve Coeur Drive. While standing outside, these men noticed the street signs. Taking the “Coeur” from Creve Coeur Drive, and the “Lane” from Shortridge Lane, the new company name of “Coeur Lane” was founded. As time passed, others were having difficulty with the pronunciation of “Coeur,” so the “Coeur” was changed to “Carr,” and the name became “Carr Lane,” as we know it today.

In late 1953, Carr Lane’s product line was expanding and the need for a product catalog became evident. The first catalog, which was four one-sided pages, was painstakingly handwritten by Myrtle Walker in 1954. Some 57 copies were requested, which found Earl and Myrtle producing handwritten catalogs in the

late-night hours from their home. The second and expanded edition of the company catalog was produced in late spring 1955. This edition, which included an expanded line of standardized L-pins, T-pins, hand knobs, drill and rivet gun holders, was nine pages long and also handwritten by Myrtle.

McDonnell Douglas and several other national companies were now on Carr Lane’s client list. The initial growth received a big boost in 1955 when Scott Special Tool and Cummings & Company were established as Carr Lane distributors. These two distributors, unbeknownst to Carr Lane at the time, were to be the foundation for what today is the largest industrial distribution chain in the United States. The company catalog also expanded to an overwhelming 48 pages, adding products such as eye bolts, rest buttons, and clamp assemblies.

Carr Lane, in keeping with the founding philosophy of standardized products, started an Engineering Department to aid its customers in their tool design problems. At Christmas time in 1955, Carr Lane also began building jigs and fixtures, and added an on-site black-oxide coating department to protect its products from rust and damage. The oxide coating allowed a longer shelf life for the parts, and allowed Carr Lane to start a stock inventory of commonly used parts. Now the company was occupying the entire 2,500 sq. ft. at Shortridge Lane, concerning the owners about the increasingly limited space.

In 1956 Carr Lane outgrew the Shortridge Lane building and moved to Krause Court. The move from 2,500 sq. ft. to 8,000 sq. ft. was overwhelming at first, but that would not last too long. The new building soon filled up with the addition of administrative personnel, new machines, and a continually growing inventory of in-stock items. At this time the number of Carr Lane distributors was starting to grow rapidly. New items were introduced, including a patented swivel foot, stainless steel components, ball lock pins, and a complete line of tooling components. The company catalog also grew to 110 pages and was divided into sections.

Instrumental in inventory policy, Myrtle Walker initiated the policy of building an inventory of commonly used parts, so orders could be shipped the same day they were received. By 1958 the inventory building of “in-stock” items, or commonly used parts, was so full that a 2,000 sq. ft. addition became necessary. Achieving its initial goal of developing “in-stock” items, Carr Lane was then, and still is, proud of the fact that 97% of all orders for in-stock items are shipped the same day.

In the early 1960s, aircraft building and Original Equipment Market (OEM) manufacturing was rapidly expanding. Carr Lane positioned itself on the leading edge of this movement with several major commitments. First was a commitment to increase its in-stock inventory of standardized parts; second came adding to and maintaining a solid chain of distributors; and lastly, Carr Lane chose to make customer service its main objective.

By the mid-1960s Carr Lane was experiencing tremendous growth. Myrtle and Earl Walker purchased all of the company stock, controlling 100% of Carr Lane. Orders steadily continued to increase, and in 1964 construction of a modern and efficient shipping/receiving area became necessary to enable Carr Lane to maintain its 97% fulfillment rate for in-stock items.

Now Carr Lane’s production capabilities and Engineering Service Department were quite efficient, providing design assistance and non-

stocked item production to their customers. Often only a slight modification was needed on an in-stock item that would save the customer time and money. Carr Lane accomplished its goals and increased its product and service base further, allowing continued growth.

By the late 1960s Carr Lane’s distributors grew to over 200. Their product line of in-stock items grew to include chuck jaws, gauges, drill jig bushings and toggle clamps. In 1969 Carr Lane entered the “Computer Age” with an IBM-360 computer with a storage capacity of 11 million characters.

An additional warehouse and distribution center was built in Boston to expedite delivery to the East Coast. A similar building was also acquired for the same purpose on the West Coast. Several years later, to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for bushings, a 30,000-sq. ft. manufacturing plant was constructed in Austin, Texas.

In the mid-1970s all four facilities went on line with a direct computer hookup that linked the facilities, and ensured accurate inventory control and immediate customer order fulfillment. Furthering the commitment to immediate order fulfillment, the more than 200 Carr Lane distributors were stocking distributors, making the Carr Lane product line available in most major U.S. cities.

Earl and Myrtle Walker’s dedication to continued customer service and product line expansion remained the driving force behind Carr Lane throughout the 1970s. In 1972 construction was completed on 7,200 sq. ft. of space to house administrative offices. These offices were connected to the existing building, making 11,000 sq. ft. dedicated to the purposes of manufacturing, inventorying and warehousing Carr Lane’s complete line.

The mid-1970s found Carr Lane entering computerized manufacturing. The purchase of its first CNC machine allowed Carr Lane faster

production with increased accuracy. Additional CNC machines were continually added and a Finishing Department was created, allowing deburring, heat treating and black oxiding, all on location.

The late 1970s saw Carr Lane expanding again; adding personnel, machines and products, creating the need for additional space. Four thousand sq. ft. were added to the St. Louis manufacturing area and storage facility. The original Krause Court building, now located on the renamed Carr Lane Court, spread over 40,000 sq. ft.

Carr Lane also added a 22,000-sq. ft. building that houses its SWIFTSURE® Hydraulic Workholding Division. In keeping with company philosophy, SWIFTSURE® also houses a complete in-stock inventory, which is one of the largest lines of power workholding in the world. This also fulfills Carr Lane’s in-stock philosophy of offering a complete line of clamps, including manual, air and hydraulic workholding.

The 1980s also brought full circle the onset of computer capabilities. Carr Lane, in its manufacturing area, now has 16 CNC machines and has recently introduced the Tool Designer’s AssistantR (TDA), a Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing system, allowing the computerization of templates for

the product line. The TDA is available for mainframe and personal computers, and in several popular computer languages. The CAD/CAM package can cut design time by up to 1000%. Recently upgraded, more than 20,000 drawings are available free to engineers in 2D, 3D or 3D model.

In the 1990s, Carr Lane installed the Sperry 1100/71 E2 computer to add efficiency in the administrative offices. The Sperry has a storage capacity of 1.6 billion characters and aids in accounting, order entry, production, inventory control and shipping. This integrated system also connects Boston, Austin and St. Louis for immediate information.

In 1999, Carr Lane made massive computer upgrades to streamline internal processes and in preparation for Y2K, switching to an Oracle integrated application system for order processing, inventory, and purchasing.

Also in the 1990s, Carr Lane made leaps in global marketing, spearheaded by Customer Service Manager Tom Smith. The company now markets worldwide, especially in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. The Carr Lane catalog is available in Spanish, and in an English-speaking international version.

The company’s 664-page catalog is online at www.carrlane.com, allowing product searches, price/availability checks and online ordering by clicking on a part number. By clicking on a part number in the online catalog, viewers have access to Carr Lane’s 20,000 CAD drawings, made up of 2D, 3D and 3D solid drawings.

Other web features include a distributor locator, a quote look up, a price list, a competitor product comparison, trigonometry tables, catalog updates, new product information, frequently asked questions, magazine articles, and a special section just for distributors to streamline promotions and order processing.

Carr Lane applied for—and received—ISO 9001 certification in 1997, a quality assurance system for design and development, production, installation and servicing of products. The application and review process, which entailed the documentation of all aspects of Carr Lane’s business, was overseen by Alan Frost, MIS director.

Another recent change was the installation of a new telephone monitoring system to improve customer service. The new system has greatly decreased the time callers need to wait to get answers.

Carr Lane is now offering its entire product catalog on CD-ROM, providing a light-weight alternative to the print edition.

In 2001, Carr Lane held the grand opening of Carr Lane Castings, a 22,000 sq. ft. foundry, built to produce high quality sand castings and permanent mold castings. Lanny Lamont, a senior officer with Carr Lane, oversaw each aspect of the building and equipment at the new site, which is located adjacent to Carr Lane’s world headquarters in St. Louis.

From 2000 to 2002, Carr Lane introduced a host of new products, including several new self-adjusting push/pull toggle clamps with spring-loaded plungers, adjustable locking hubs, marine ball lock and detent pins, the ball lock mounting system, bar-handle screw clamps and nuts, handscrew clamps, bar clamps, side pull hoist ring, rotary T nuts, Tiny Vise™ edge clamps and a wide assortment of new handles and knobs.

In the last few years, Carr Lane has introduced even more new items, including toggle clamps with built-in safety locks, threaded detent pins, index plungers, swing c clamps, bar-lok^® quick-acting c clamps, t-slot cleaners, lever handles, threaded tube ends, Simplex hammers, no-rebound hammers, and a host of new hoist rings, hand wheels, hand-retractable plungers, chuck jaws and tooling blocks.

In 2007, Carr Lane installed a new 50,000 watt generator system to ensure constant power, after strong storms in the St. Louis area knocked out power at the headquarters for two days. Rated 60KVA, the generator will ensure continuous service to Carr Lane's global customer base.

With a well-established, sound foundation, Carr Lane’s original philosophy remains in the new millennium.

Today Carr Lane Manufacturing Company is a tightly held corporation owned by Earl and Myrtle Walker. Earl and Myrtle are firm believers in the human race, and pride themselves with the fact that Carr Lane has not had a strike in its over 50-year history. Earl and Myrtle share the belief that they have created the best chain of distributors in the world. But most importantly, they both believe in and practice their original corporate philosophy of “Customer Satisfaction” and “Savings Through Standardized Parts.”