Bon Tool Celebrates a Golden Anniversary

Words: Dan Kamys
/Public/News/20080730142234-1.jpg" width="300" height="200" border="0" alt="Representing the generations of the Bon family, current president Carl Bongiovanni stands with his father, Carl Bongiovanni (retired, past president), and his son, John Bongiovanni, a recent addition to the Bon sales team.">
Representing the generations of the Bon family, current president Carl Bongiovanni stands with his father, Carl Bongiovanni (retired, past president), and his son, John Bongiovanni, a recent addition to the Bon sales team.
Celebrating 50 years in business, Bon Tool Co. has grown into a leading manufacturer of professional-grade hand tools for the building trades. Built on the strength of a single masonry product, Bon’s product line has expanded to nearly 5,000 professional-grade tools for masonry, concrete finishing, decorative concrete, drywall, plaster and stucco, flooring, roofing and general construction.

It was the development of the Masonry Guide System that launched the company in 1958. The guides, which are pre-marked with coursing measurements for laying masonry units, eliminate the need to build a corner lead, a time-consuming practice that was customary at the time. Once in production, Bon salesmen visited local building sites to educate bricklayers on using the guides to increase speed and accuracy on the job. Overcoming resistance to change from an age-old trade; the initial investment required by builders; and the need to re-train masons, Bon masonry guides proved to revolutionize masonry work while launching the company.

Bon’s product line grew as additional masonry tools were put into production, and tools of other building trades were added as well. Over the years, new products have been designed, forged, bent, ground and branded Bon. Today Bon has distinguished itself as a manufacturer of the widest selection of tools for the building trades.

When Carl Bongiovanni founded the company, he did not imagine that Bon would grow to manufacture products that span the building trades and service customers around the globe. He did, though, insist on the highest standards of workmanship and quality. And, these standards have been applied to the many exclusive Bon products developed over the years.

Today, Bon is led by Carl Bongiovanni, Jr., who continues the tradition. Product innovation remains principle to Bon’s success as the company introduced the first-ever, all stainless-steel trowel, and launched its exclusive line of stainless-steel bullet groovers. Other milestones include the formation of the BonWay division to manufacture and market decorative concrete tools and materials; the launching of an enhanced Web site with building tips for trade persons; the formation of BonShanghai, a joint venture established to distribute decorative concrete products in China; the development of the BonSource division, which handles outsource engineering; the recent acquisitions of O’Tool and Wha-LiteTool; and the opening of a western distribution center in Henderson, Nev.

Through five decades of family ownership, Bon’s success is sustained through the company’s focus on its core principles: innovation, value and service. For more information on the wide selection of products available at Bon, visit www.bontool.com, or call Bon’s customer care department at 724-443-7080.
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