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

Founding

The story of Starrett begins with Laroy Sunderland Starrett, an inventor from Maine who became interested in developing practical mechanical tools.

One of his most important inventions was the combination square. Starrett’s history identifies 1877 as the year of the invention. The tool combined several functions—including squaring, measuring, marking, and angle-related work—into one instrument.4

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

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

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

His approach was not simply to manufacture ordinary hardware but to improve tools through precision engineering, accuracy, usability and repeatability. That philosophy became the foundation of the Starrett brand.

Starrett’s original combination square was important because it represented the kind of multifunctional precision instrument that would become characteristic of the company’s product portfolio.

His broader philosophy was essentially that a successful manufacturer should create useful inventions that solved real problems. The company still presents this entrepreneurial philosophy as part of its heritage.7

Starrett died in 1922, after which leadership passed to succeeding generations and executives.8

Starrett did not remain a one-product company.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it expanded into increasingly sophisticated precision measuring instruments and mechanical tools.

Among the important categories associated with Starrett are:

• Micrometers
• Vernier and electronic calipers
• Dial indicators
• Test indicators
• Precision rules
• Combination squares
• Levels
• Protractors
• Depth gauges
• Thickness gauges
• Gage 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 arguably the area in which Starrett has its strongest historical identity.

A machinist might use a Starrett instrument to answer questions such as:

Is this shaft exactly 25.000 mm?

Is this surface truly flat?

Is this component within tolerance?

Is this hole in the correct position?

Is this manufactured part dimensionally accurate?

These seemingly small measurements are critical in modern manufacturing. A difference of a few micrometres can determine whether a component fits correctly or fails quality control.

Starrett therefore occupies an important position in the metrology ecosystem—the science and technology of measurement.

The company says 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 probably the single product most closely associated with the company’s origin.

The basic concept dates back to Laroy Starrett’s 1877 invention. Modern versions combine a graduated blade with a movable head and can be used for several 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.

A micrometer is designed for highly accurate dimensional measurement, typically at a level substantially finer than an ordinary ruler or tape measure.

Starrett’s mechanical micrometers are particularly associated with traditional American machine-shop practice.

Calipers

Starrett manufactures:

• Vernier calipers
• Dial calipers
• Electronic/digital calipers
• Specialty calipers

These are used to measure external dimensions, internal dimensions and depths.

Dial indicators

Dial indicators are another major Starrett category.

They are used to detect very small movements or deviations, such as:

• Runout
• Flatness
• Alignment
• Parallelism
• Concentricity
• Machine-tool setup errors

Starrett has continued developing electronic versions as well; in 2024 it introduced the W4900 touchscreen electronic indicator, illustrating the company’s move from traditional mechanical metrology toward digital measurement technology.11

Starrett’s business extends beyond handheld tools.

Its metrology portfolio includes:

• Gage blocks
• Granite surface plates
• Optical systems
• Vision systems
• Laser measurement
• Force testing
• Material testing
• Inspection equipment

The company also provides custom gaging solutions, developing specialized measurement tools for particular manufacturing applications. Starrett says it has produced thousands of special tools for customer-specific requirements.12

This means Starrett can be involved not only in the measurement of an individual component but in the broader quality-control system of a manufacturing operation.

Although Starrett is famous for measuring instruments, cutting products are a major part of the business.

The company manufactures:

• Bandsaw blades
• Bi-metal blades
• Carbide-tipped blades
• Carbon-steel blades
• Power hacksaw blades
• Reciprocating blades
• Jigsaw blades
• Hole saws
• Hand hacksaw blades
• Specialty cutting products

These products are used for cutting materials such as metals, wood and other industrial materials.13

Starrett’s saw business also helped drive its international expansion during the 20th century.

Starrett became an international company relatively early.

The company established sales connections in London and Paris as early as 1882.14

Later, manufacturing expanded internationally:

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

These operations helped Starrett serve industrial markets outside the United States.15

The company’s current facilities and sales network extend across multiple countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, China, Australia and New Zealand.16

Starrett also expanded through acquisitions.

One notable example was the Webber Gage Company, which joined Starrett in 1962. Webber was known for precision gage 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 an important aspect of Starrett’s strategy: expanding from individual hand tools into a broader precision measurement and inspection ecosystem.

One of Starrett’s major selling points is its emphasis on manufacturing quality.

The company describes its heritage as being rooted in:

• Precision
• Accuracy
• Quality
• Craftsmanship
• Innovation
• Durability

Starrett also 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, it is important to understand that not every Starrett product is necessarily made in the United States. Starrett is a global manufacturer, and its products can originate from different manufacturing locations. The company explicitly states that it uses globally sourced materials and components and manufactures products in multiple countries.20

So, “Starrett” does not simply mean “every product is American-made.” Rather, the brand has a historically strong American manufacturing identity combined with a global manufacturing network.

Starrett is frequently associated with the history of American industrialization 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 particularly intertwined with the rise of:

• Machine shops
• Metalworking
• Toolmaking
• Automotive manufacturing
• Industrial machinery
• Aerospace
• General manufacturing

The significance of Starrett is therefore larger than the individual tools it sells. Its products have been part of the measurement infrastructure that allows industrial products to be manufactured accurately and consistently.

The company was originally established in 1880 and 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.

That changed in 2024.

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

The transaction was structured as a go-private merger.

After completion, Starrett became a wholly owned subsidiary of MiddleGround Capital, and its Class A common stock was no longer publicly listed.23

Therefore, as of 2026, Starrett should be understood as a private company, rather than as a currently publicly traded NYSE company.

This is an important distinction if you encounter older information describing Starrett as NYSE: SCX.

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

Its markets include:

Manufacturing

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

Automotive

Starrett products can be used in component manufacturing and dimensional inspection.

Aerospace

High-precision measurement is particularly important because aerospace components often have very tight tolerances.

Metalworking

Micrometers, indicators, calipers, gages and cutting tools are common equipment in machine shops.

Construction

Starrett also 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 used wherever components need to be measured, cut, formed or assembled.25

Starrett’s reputation is based less on being a low-cost tool brand and more on being a precision-oriented professional manufacturer.

The brand is particularly respected among:

• Machinists
• Toolmakers
• Mechanical engineers
• Inspectors
• Metrologists
• Mechanics
• Metalworkers
• Woodworkers
• Manufacturing engineers
• Quality-control professionals

The company’s traditional mechanical instruments are also popular among people who appreciate old-school precision engineering and durable American-made tools.

Starrett itself uses the phrase “World’s Greatest Toolmakers” to describe its heritage.26

That phrase is best understood as a company branding claim, rather than an independently verified ranking.

One useful way to understand Starrett is to distinguish it from ordinary consumer hardware brands.

A typical hardware brand might focus heavily on:

“Can this tool perform the job?”

Starrett’s traditional philosophy is closer to:

“Can this tool perform the job accurately, repeatably and reliably enough for professional measurement or manufacturing?”

For example, a $10 ruler might be perfectly adequate for measuring a piece of furniture.

A machinist inspecting a precision component may instead require a tool whose accuracy, calibration and repeatability are carefully controlled.

That difference explains why Starrett tools can command substantially higher prices than generic measuring tools.

It is also useful to distinguish two concepts associated with Starrett:

Accuracy means how close a measurement is to the true value.

Precision/repeatability means how consistently an instrument produces the same result when measuring the same thing.

Industrial metrology requires both.

Starrett therefore places considerable emphasis on manufacturing tolerances, calibration and traceability. Its services include calibration and repair, in addition to manufacturing measurement equipment.27

More than 140 years after its founding, Starrett’s greatest legacy is arguably the normalization of precision measurement as an essential part of manufacturing.

A modern factory depends on a chain something like:

Design → Manufacturing → Measurement → Inspection → Quality Control → Finished Product

Starrett operates heavily in the measurement, inspection and cutting portions of that chain.

Its tools help manufacturers determine whether a component actually conforms to the dimensions specified by an engineer.

The historical dates above are primarily based on Starrett’s own published history.28

If you reduce the entire Starrett story to a few points, its identity is essentially:

1. Very old

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

2. Precision-focused

Its core expertise is not merely making tools, but making tools capable of accurate measurement and controlled manufacturing.

3. Strong American heritage

The company originated in Athol, Massachusetts, and still maintains significant U.S. manufacturing.

4. Global

Despite its American origins, Starrett has manufacturing, distribution and customers around the world.

5. Broad product portfolio

It has expanded from the original combination square into thousands of products spanning measurement, metrology and cutting.

6. Industrial rather than purely consumer-oriented

Its most important customers are manufacturers, machine shops, engineers and professional users.

7. Long-standing brand reputation

Starrett has spent more than 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, gages, 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, gage 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