Wei-Lock Manufacturing was founded in Winterset Iowa in 1921, manufacturing earth anchoring products used for guying oil well derricks, oil pipelines, and highway guard rail cables. The company grew as mass production of the automobile increased demand for oil and infrastructure. During the depression, Wei-Lock began manufacturing a variety of custom steel products including Bridge Clips, Bull Dog Floor Clips, Farm Anchors, Screw Anchors, and the Daisy Wheel Cultivator Shield.
In 1937, Wei-Lock became Grip-Tite Manufacturing Company and Will Johnson purchased the majority of Grip-Tite in 1939. Will’s sons, Dwight and Clarence, began working for Grip-Tite a few years later.
Following WWII, Grip-Tite developed earth anchors to secure power systems as the U.S. electric system evolved from small local grids into a highly interconnected interstate utility system. Grip-Tite also supplied anchors to telephone utilities that grew from 30,000,000 phones in 1948 to 100,000,000 just 25 years later. By the early 50’s, Grip-Tite established itself as a leader in the earth anchor industry and was owned entirely by the Johnson family by 1953. Today, Grip-Tite remains one of the leading earth anchor manufacturers for the electric and telephone industries.
We have been delivering on a promise of celebrated quality and service in the foundation repair and earth anchoring industry for nearly 100 years. It’s the little things that matter that you will benefit from our unmatched experience and the exceeding attention to detail that our dealers put into every foundation repair job.
We are keeping the focus on what we do best—operational excellence and innovation. Grip-Tite’s dedicated team of engineers is spearheading new product development to meet our customers’ evolving needs. We are also continuing to invest in our employees through cross-training, performance-based compensation, and a comprehensive benefits program. Grip-Tite’s plans for growth hinge on a strong team effort, with the creation of a robust culture at the core.