The history of Standard-Knapp can be traced back to 1890, when the Fred H. Knapp company was founded in New Jersey.

There is documented evidence that the first Knapp Gravity Labelers were placed on the market and shown during the 1893 World's Fair at the National Convention of Canners. A few years later, in 1895, the Knapp Boxer, a hand-operated machine designed to pack cans, was perfected. Apparently, it did its job well. In fact, it did so well that, as late as 1901, the Knapp Boxer was the only machine of its kind in the world.

At some time during the early 1900s, a company known as the National Binding Company (based out of New York City, New York), was manufacturing paper cutting and dispensing machines and compression units for case sealing. In December of 1920, the National Binding Company declared bankruptcy. The following year, the company was purchased by a group of past employees for just $10,000. Later that same year, on November 17, 1921, the former National Binding Company resurfaced under the new name of the Standard Sealing Company, Inc.

While the new Standard Sealing Company was beginning its new business, the Fred H. Knapp Company had expanded its operations to include offices in Chicago, Baltimore, Ridgewood (NJ), and a factory in Westminster, Maryland. At this time, the Fred H. Knapp Company was offering a series of labelers with wood or iron frames designed for such "modern" innovations as hand, steam, or electric motor drives.

In 1926, the Standard Sealing Company took its first step in acquiring larger facilities to meet increased demand by moving to Long Island City, New York. Five years later, Standard Sealing merged with the Fred H. Knapp company, thus changing its name to the now familiar Standard-Knapp.

Increased demand for its products forced Standard-Knapp to expand its existing facilities yet again. In 1940, Standard-Knapp relocated to its present location in Portland, Connecticut.

In 1948, the company became a division of the Hartford Empire Company, now known as the Hartford Division. The Hartford Division is world famous for its design and construction of glass container manufacturing equipment. Three years later, in 1951, the Hartford Empire Company effected a corporate name change to the Emhart Manufacturing Company.

And, finally, on June 30, 1964, the Emhart Manufacturing Company merged with the American Hardware Corporation to form the Emhart Corporation.

In 1979, Standard-Knapp was purchased from Emhart by Anderson Manufacturing Company, Rockford, Illinois. Finally, in December of 1984, Standard-Knapp was purchased once more by its employees, becoming an "employee owned company," which it remains today.

Standard-Knapp's Quality Policy