At age 24, Bob Labbe was employed as a toolmaker in Hartford, Connecticut. He had a vision of a high-speed screw machine that could produce lock tumbler pins 20 times faster than any machine that existed at that time. Within one year, his first lock tumbler pin machine was producing parts that met his original objective, and LAB was born.
Labbe refined his design as he built 11 more machines. Some of his early customers were Eagle Lock and Lori Lock.
Since 1956, LAB has specialized in the manufacturing of high-quality component parts and aftermarket packaging for multiple industries. These industries include mechanical security (locks), firearms, electronics, builder's hardware and consumer goods. As the dominant supplier in several categories, LAB is recognized as a “World Class Supplier” and “Supplier of Choice” for manufacturers and market suppliers worldwide.
Labbe revolutionized the lock pin industry when he created and copyrighted the .003-inch Universal Pin System design. These were the smoothest operating, most accurate universal pins manufactured. This .003-inch system also allowed for increased consistency in cylinder operation from cylinders that were produced with varying tolerances. Labbe also developed color-coded pins, along with the color-coded passport pin chart.
LAB has continued to grow and now houses more than 131 Escomatic machines to support various industries. LAB not only manufactures parts, but we also maintain and repair Escomatic machines in-house and for various manufacturers throughout the United States.
LAB’s diverse product selection of pinning kits and packaged pins make it the industry leader for locksmiths and security professionals. From the .003-inch and .005-inch Pin Kits, Original Manufacture Kits to the ICore Pin Kits, LAB offers choices for all professional locksmiths. LAB offers a range of locksmith tools to complement the pin kits and packaged pins.
LAB also manufactures the tumbler pins and private-label kits for lock manufacturers here in the United States and abroad. This allows the locksmith in most cases to refill their Original Lock Manufacture Pin Kit with LAB Pins from their LAB wholesale security distributor.
LAB is the home of the largest concentration of D-2, D-4 and D-6 Swiss Escomatic screw machines in North America, producing more than 1.3 billion high-quality precision parts annually. Our highly trained professional operators make LAB the sought-after source for high-volume, high-quality precision parts delivered on time.
LAB products are made in the USA, governed by our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system.
