1910: Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker quit their jobs and form their own company with $1,200 in capital. They initially made a bottle-capping machine and a candy-dipping device. They soon begin work on a power drill from a plant on South Calvert Street in today's Inner Harbor.

1917: The firm patents a drill design, called the world's first portable power drill with a pistol grip. Also, Black & Decker's first plant opens in Towson.

1919: Sales at the young company surpass $1 million annually.

1923: The company begins selling a low-priced power drill.

1941: The company makes shells and tools for World War II.

1946: The first line of home utility drills is introduced. The firm begins making electric drills, drill-bit sets, portable circular saws, jigsaws and sanders for the do-it-yourself market.

1961: Black & Decker introduces the Dustbuster cordless vacuum. It also brought out the first battery-powered drill.

1968: Black & Decker develops a cordless power drill used on the Apollo 16 and 17 missions to the moon.

1995: Black & Decker begins operations in India and China. It introduces its DeWalt power tools to Europe and Latin America.

2003: Black & Decker acquires Baldwin Hardware.

2009: The company sees earnings decline in part because of the downturn in housing construction but says the demand for its products has started to stabilize.

Nov. 2, 2009: Black & Decker announces plans to merge with The Stanley Works in a $4.5 billion all-stock deal.

March 12, 2010: Shareholders of Black & Decker and Stanley Works shareholders approve the merger. The deal closes.

March 15, 2010: The company begins operations as a combined entity.

Timeline