Athol-based L.S. Starrett Co. has partnered with Ohio-based H. Gerstner & Sons to offer 120 limited edition, American-made Starrett wooden tool chests.
The Starrett 200WCR chests are replicas of the classic 1950s Starrett Model 200W chest design.
The chests are available to order from Nov. 17 through Dec. 19 with an estimated delivery of March 2026 to anywhere in the continental U.S. from Gerstner’s facility in Ohio.
The Starrett 200WCR tool chest is made of sapele hardwood construction and is true to the original design from the 1950s wherever possible.
The chests are individually numbered and have been constructed to match the size and layout of the original No. 200W chest. Each chest contains The Starrett Story booklet explaining the company’s history, a Starrett decimal-inch equivalent card, and a certificate of authenticity. The chest also includes the Starrett nameplate with its circa 1950 vintage logo and red felt-lined drawers.
“The new Starrett 200WCR tool chest is a testament to the American craftsmanship where quality and durability are paramount,” Charlie Starrett, director of product management at L.S. Starrett Company, said in a Monday press release.
The offer of the limited edition chests celebrate the legacy of the Starrett and Gerstner partnership and aligns with Gerstner’s 120th anniversary.
“We are thrilled to partner again with Starrett to continue the relationship developed nearly 70 years ago between Arthur Starrett and my great grandfather, Harry Gerstner when they first worked together to offer machinists’ tool chests, essential for skilled tradesmen to protect and organize their precision instruments,” Kim Campbell Brown, vice president of sales and marketing at H. Gerstner & Sons, said in the press release.
Gerstner & Sons was founded in 1906 by Harry Gerstner, and is a fourth-generation, family-owned manufacturer of precision-crafted wooden tool chests and cases, showcasing American craftsmanship for 120 years.
The L.S. Starrett Company was founded in 1880 by Laroy Starrett, and is a global manufacturer of precision measuring tools, gauges, saw blades, and other equipment.
The company merged with Kentucky-based private equity firm MiddleGround Capital in 2024, and is no longer led by the Starrett family, after CEO and President Douglass Starrett stepped down after 48 years with the firm.
Jill McSorley is an editorial intern for the Worcester Business Journal. She is a student at Assumption University studying communications and media, writing, and marketing.
