- ATI was formed in 1938 in Los Angeles and incorporated as Aircraft Tools, Inc. in 1949.
- In the mid-1970s we turned our attention to the international market.
- In 1980, we purchased 7-1/2 acres and built phase I of our current 65,000 square foot facility.
- ATI terminated all aerospace work in 1992 to concentrate solely on our core tools business.
- January 1, 1996, we became ATI® Tools Division, Snap-on Tools Company.
ATI was formed in 1938 in Los Angeles and incorporated as Aircraft Tools, Inc., in 1949. ATI grew considerably during the Korean War. Strategically located near LA International Airport, able to serve Douglas plants in nearby El Segundo, Torrance, Long Beach and Santa Monica. Northrop, Lockheed, and North American Aviation, home of the F-86 Saber Jet, (now Rockwell), were also located nearby. In the mid-1950s we opened several U.S. sales offices so we could serve other companies like Boeing, Grumman, Beech, Cessna, General Dynamics, LTV, Sikorsky, Rohr and Bell Helicopter.
As business slowed in the late 1950s we began soliciting machine shop work. This effort led us to the U.S. Navy and Air Force. We were so successful in this new area; we formed a tool division and an aerospace division. The aerospace business allowed us to grow substantially. We became the largest air-to-air missile warhead' manufacturer for the Navy between 1970 and 1990. Our production included the Phoenix, Shrike, Sidewinder, Sparrow, HARM and Standard Missile Warheads. For the Air Force we developed and supplied the only approved Minuteman Missile ICBM Underground Cable Splice Case.
The 1960s were the real beginning for the jumbo commercial jets, sophisticated military fighters and business jets. We soon outgrew our Los Angeles facility and moved to Escondido in October of 1966, where we found a very capable work force. During the 1960s ATI established itself as the largest supplier of quality aircraft fabricating tools in the United States and Canada.
In 1972, the employees of ATI purchased the company and changed the name to ATI Industries. We now turned our attention to the international market. As a result of our travels we established representative agreements with companies in Denmark, Germany, France, England, Israel, Netherlands, Korea, Australia, Singapore and Japan. Several of these companies were given marketing rights to more than one country. Our international market has realized steady growth.
In 1980, we purchased 7-1/2 acres in an industrial park and built our current 65,000 square foot facility, which would be further expanded to 100,000 square feet. With our new facility completed, we focused on upgrading shop equipment to state-of-the-art, numerically controlled machinery. Our inspection system was expanded to meet MIL-Q-9858A requirements.
In March of 1986, ATI was sold to, and became a subsidiary of, Snap-on Tools Corporation. During the next six years we added CADAM to our Engineering Department, SPC controls on the shop floor and established TQS throughout the entire company. We implemented cellular manufacturing on selected product-lines and introduced "World Class" manufacturing techniques to the workforce.
When defense budgets were drastically reduced, ATI terminated all aerospace work in 1992 to concentrate on our core commercial tools business. In keeping with this focus, we changed our company name to ATI® Tools, Inc. and kept that name until January 1, 1996, when we became ATI® Tools Division, Snap-on Tools Company.
Starting in 1993, ATI created alliances with many aircraft maintenance related companies to provide one-stop shopping for our customers. ATI has alliances with the following companies as a result of this effort:
- Sioux Tools
- Monogram
- Apex
- Grobet
In addition, we now have access to leading U.S. manufacturers of equipment, air tools and blind fastener installation. We believe if you need it, we can find it for you!
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