The company remains headquartered in Athol, where it was founded. Starrett describes itself as a global manufacturer with American manufacturing heritage and states that it continues to manufacture products in the United States using both domestic and globally sourced materials and components.3

Founding

The origins of Starrett lie with Laroy Sunderland Starrett, an inventor from Maine who focused on developing practical mechanical tools.

One of his most significant inventions was the combination square. Starrett’s historical records identify 1877 as the year of this invention. The tool integrated several functions—including squaring, measuring, marking and angle-related work—into a single instrument.4

In 1880, Starrett established his company in Athol, Massachusetts, to manufacture and sell precision tools. The combination square was the first major product and quickly established the firm’s reputation.5

The company expanded rapidly. By 1881, Starrett had moved into larger premises, and in 1882 Laroy Starrett established sales connections in London and Paris, securing an international market almost from the outset.6

Laroy S. Starrett (1836–1922) was the central figure in the company’s early development.

His approach extended beyond manufacturing ordinary hardware; he sought to improve tools through precision engineering, accuracy, usability and repeatability. This philosophy became the foundation of the Starrett brand.

Starrett’s original combination square was significant because it represented the type of multifunctional precision instrument that would characterise the company’s product portfolio.

His broader philosophy held that a successful manufacturer should create useful inventions that solved real problems. The company continues to present this entrepreneurial ethos as part of its heritage.7

Following Starrett’s death in 1922, leadership passed to succeeding generations and executives.8

Starrett did not remain a single-product company. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it expanded into increasingly sophisticated precision measuring instruments and mechanical tools.

Key categories associated with Starrett include:

• Micrometers
• Vernier and electronic calipers
• Dial indicators
• Test indicators
• Precision rules
• Combination squares
• Levels
• Protractors
• Depth gauges
• Thickness gauges
• Gauge blocks
• Granite surface plates
• Precision ground stock
• Saw blades
• Bandsaw blades
• Hole saws
• Hacksaw blades
• Hand tools
• Optical and vision inspection systems
• Laser measurement systems
• Force and material testing systems

Today, Starrett groups its products broadly into industrial products and metrology systems.9

Precision measurement is the area in which Starrett has its strongest historical identity.

Machinists use Starrett instruments to answer critical questions such as whether a shaft is exactly 25.000 mm, if a surface is truly flat, if a component is within tolerance, or if a hole is correctly positioned. These measurements are vital in modern manufacturing; a difference of a few micrometres can determine whether a component fits correctly or fails quality control.

Consequently, Starrett occupies an important position in the metrology ecosystem—the science and technology of measurement. The company states that its precision measuring tools meet or exceed applicable national and international accuracy requirements at manufacture and are traceable to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).10

Combination squares

The Starrett combination square is the product most closely associated with the company’s origin. Based on Laroy Starrett’s 1877 invention, modern versions combine a graduated blade with a movable head for various measurement and layout operations. It became an iconic tool among machinists, mechanics, engineers, metalworkers and woodworkers.

Micrometers

Starrett produces a broad range of outside, inside, depth and specialty micrometers. Designed for highly accurate dimensional measurement at a level finer than ordinary rulers, Starrett’s mechanical micrometers are particularly associated with traditional American machine-shop practice.

Calipers

The company manufactures vernier, dial, electronic/digital and specialty calipers for measuring external dimensions, internal dimensions and depths.

Dial indicators

Dial indicators are another major category, used to detect very small movements or deviations such as runout, flatness, alignment, parallelism, concentricity and machine-tool setup errors. Starrett has continued to develop electronic versions; in 2024, it introduced the W4900 touchscreen electronic indicator, illustrating the shift from traditional mechanical metrology toward digital measurement technology.11

Starrett’s business extends beyond handheld tools. Its metrology portfolio includes gauge blocks, granite surface plates, optical systems, vision systems, laser measurement, force testing, material testing and inspection equipment.

The company also provides custom gauging solutions, developing specialised measurement tools for specific manufacturing applications. Starrett states it has produced thousands of special tools for customer-specific requirements.12 This capability allows Starrett to participate not only in individual component measurement but in the broader quality-control system of a manufacturing operation.

Although famous for measuring instruments, cutting products constitute a major part of the business. Starrett manufactures bandsaw blades, bi-metal blades, carbide-tipped blades, carbon-steel blades, power hacksaw blades, reciprocating blades, jigsaw blades, hole saws, hand hacksaw blades and specialty cutting products. These are used for cutting metals, wood and other industrial materials.13

The saw business also helped drive the company’s international expansion during the 20th century.

Starrett became an international company relatively early, establishing sales connections in London and Paris as early as 1882.14

Manufacturing later expanded internationally:

• 1956 — Manufacturing operation established in São Paulo, Brazil
• 1958 — Factory established in Jedburgh, Scotland
• 1998 — Factory established in Suzhou, China

These operations enabled Starrett to serve industrial markets outside the United States.15 Current facilities and sales networks extend across multiple countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, China, Australia and New Zealand.16

Starrett has also expanded through acquisitions. A notable example was the Webber Gage Company, which joined Starrett in 1962. Webber was known for precision gauge blocks, strengthening Starrett’s position in industrial measurement and quality control.17

In 1970, Starrett acquired the Herman Stone Company, a manufacturer of granite surface plates. The granite operation was subsequently moved to Mount Airy, North Carolina.18

These developments illustrate a key aspect of Starrett’s strategy: expanding from individual hand tools into a broader precision measurement and inspection ecosystem.

A primary selling point for Starrett is its emphasis on manufacturing quality. The company describes its heritage as rooted in precision, accuracy, quality, craftsmanship, innovation and durability.

Starrett maintains a significant manufacturing presence in the United States. Its headquarters and largest manufacturing plant remain in Athol, Massachusetts, where the company was originally founded.19

However, not every Starrett product is necessarily made in the United States. As a global manufacturer, Starrett explicitly states that it uses globally sourced materials and components and manufactures products in multiple countries.20 Thus, the brand combines a historically strong American manufacturing identity with a global production network.

Starrett is frequently associated with the history of American industrialisation and machine-tool manufacturing. Its Athol factory became an important local employer and grew alongside the development of American manufacturing.

The company’s history is intertwined with the rise of machine shops, metalworking, toolmaking, automotive manufacturing, industrial machinery, aerospace and general manufacturing. Starrett’s significance extends beyond individual tools; its products have formed part of the measurement infrastructure that enables industrial products to be manufactured accurately and consistently.

Originally established in 1880, the company was later incorporated. Starrett remained family-influenced for generations, with members of the Starrett family holding senior leadership positions.21

For much of its modern history, The L.S. Starrett Company was a publicly traded company under the ticker SCX on the New York Stock Exchange. This status changed in 2024.

2024 acquisition and privatisation

On March 11, 2024, Starrett announced an agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of MiddleGround Capital, a private-equity investment firm specialising in industrial businesses. The transaction valued the company at $16.19 per share in cash.22

Structured as a go-private merger, the deal resulted in Starrett becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of MiddleGround Capital, with its Class A common stock no longer publicly listed.23 Consequently, as of 2026, Starrett operates as a private company rather than a publicly traded entity.

Today, Starrett describes itself as a global manufacturer producing more than 5,000 variations of precision tools, gauges, measuring instruments and saw blades.24

Its markets include:

Manufacturing

Precision tools are used for machining, inspection and quality control.

Automotive

Starrett products are utilised in component manufacturing and dimensional inspection.

Aerospace

High-precision measurement is essential due to the tight tolerances required for aerospace components.

Metalworking

Micrometers, indicators, calipers, gauges and cutting tools are standard equipment in machine shops.

Construction

The company produces levels, squares, tapes, rules and other jobsite tools.

Woodworking

Saw blades, squares, measuring tools and layout instruments are used by professional and hobbyist woodworkers.

General industrial production

Starrett tools are employed wherever components require measuring, cutting, forming or assembly.25

Starrett’s reputation rests on its status as a precision-oriented professional manufacturer rather than a low-cost tool brand. It is particularly respected among machinists, toolmakers, mechanical engineers, inspectors, metrologists, mechanics, metalworkers, woodworkers, manufacturing engineers and quality-control professionals.

The company’s traditional mechanical instruments remain popular among those who value traditional precision engineering and durable American-made tools. Starrett uses the phrase “World’s Greatest Toolmakers” to describe its heritage,26 which serves as a company branding claim rather than an independently verified ranking.

Starrett differs from ordinary consumer hardware brands in its focus. While typical hardware brands ask whether a tool can perform a job, Starrett’s philosophy asks whether a tool can perform the job accurately, repeatably and reliably enough for professional measurement or manufacturing.

For instance, while a basic ruler may suffice for furniture, a machinist inspecting a precision component requires a tool with carefully controlled accuracy, calibration and repeatability. This distinction explains why Starrett tools command higher prices than generic measuring instruments.

Two concepts are central to the Starrett brand:

• Accuracy: How close a measurement is to the true value.
• Precision/repeatability: How consistently an instrument produces the same result when measuring the same item.

Industrial metrology requires both. Starrett places considerable emphasis on manufacturing tolerances, calibration and traceability, offering calibration and repair services alongside equipment manufacturing.27

More than 140 years after its founding, Starrett’s primary legacy is the normalisation of precision measurement as an essential part of manufacturing. Modern factories rely on a chain comprising design, manufacturing, measurement, inspection, quality control and finished product. Starrett operates heavily in the measurement, inspection and cutting portions of this chain, helping manufacturers verify that components conform to specified dimensions.

Historical dates are primarily based on Starrett’s published history.28

Starrett’s identity is defined by several core attributes:

Historical longevity

Founded in 1880, Starrett is one of America’s historic precision-tool manufacturers.

Precision focus

Core expertise lies in making tools capable of accurate measurement and controlled manufacturing, not merely general toolmaking.

American heritage

Originating in Athol, Massachusetts, the company maintains significant U.S. manufacturing operations.

Global reach

Despite American origins, Starrett operates manufacturing, distribution and sales networks worldwide.

Broad portfolio

The range has expanded from the original combination square to thousands of products spanning measurement, metrology and cutting.

Industrial orientation

Primary customers are manufacturers, machine shops, engineers and professional users rather than general consumers.

Brand reputation

The company has spent over a century building its association with precision, craftsmanship and durability.

Starrett, formally The L.S. Starrett Company, is an American precision-tool and industrial manufacturing company founded by Laroy S. Starrett in Athol, Massachusetts, in 1880. Originating from Starrett’s invention of the combination square in 1877, the company grew into a major manufacturer of precision measuring instruments, gauges, metrology equipment and saw blades. Over more than 140 years, Starrett expanded from a Massachusetts toolmaker into a global industrial brand serving manufacturing, machining, automotive, aerospace, construction, woodworking and other markets. Its best-known products include micrometers, calipers, dial indicators, combination squares, gauge blocks, granite surface plates and bandsaw blades. The company retains a strong American manufacturing identity while operating a global manufacturing and distribution network. After being publicly traded as NYSE: SCX for many years, Starrett entered a go-private transaction with MiddleGround Capital in 2024 and is now privately owned.29

1. About Us
2. Our Company
3. History
4. Products
5. Made in America
6. Our History – Starrett
7. The Starrett Story
8. Accuracy
9. Vision and Optical Systems
10. Custom Gaging Solutions
11. Saw Products & Hand Tools
12. Facilities
13. THE L.S. STARRETT COMPANY ENTERS INTO A MERGER AGREEMENT WITH MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL TO BECOME PRIVATE COMPANY
14. Our Services
15. News & Events
16. strr-20251231
17. EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001210708-26-000038
18. EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001628280-26-018174
19. st-20251231
20. EDGAR Filing Documents for 0000874238-26-000024
21. EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001692063-26-000013
22. EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001692063-26-000013
23. sstk-20251231
24. Starrett Products – Quality You Can Trust
25. Starrett Products – Quality You Can Trust
26. Starrett History
27. sec.gov
28. STARRETT CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF UK MANUFACTURING – Starrett
29. sec.gov