St. Louis – Smallwood Lock & Supply, a family-owned Kansas City security supplier founded in 1912, is continuing its long history of adapting to changing customer needs. It recently added Squire Commercial Locks, a 245-year-old British lock manufacturer known for high-security padlocks, combination locks, container locks and security hardware.

Smallwood Lock & Supply has served locksmiths, facility managers, commercial buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, automotive customers and institutional buyers across Kansas City and the broader Midwest. What began as a local repair and locksmithing business has evolved into one of the region’s longstanding wholesale sources for commercial locks, door hardware, and security products.

“Smallwood has stayed in business for more than a century because we have never looked at security as a static business,” said company president Michael Smallwood. “The products change, the customer needs change, and the risks change, but the core idea is the same as it was when my grandfather started the business. We give customers quality products, trusted advice, and fair value. Adding Squire is another way for us to help locksmiths and commercial customers solve today’s security challenges.”

Smallwood Lock & Supply traces its roots to when Grover Smallwood purchased the inventory of A&E Fix-It Co. in Kansas City, Kan. In the company’s early years, Smallwood offered many types of non-automotive repair services, including locksmithing, and survived the Great Depression by building a reputation for quality service at a fair price. 

Michael Smallwood represents the third generation of family leadership, having returned to the company in 1994 after earning his MBA and spending 13 years at Hallmark Cards in finance, sales, and information technology. His father, Leonard Smallwood, joined the family business in 1955 after serving in the Korean War. He helped expand the company in the mid-1970s to include wholesale distribution and a supply branch. Michael’s sons, John and Matt, work at Smallwood and plan to carry on the family tradition as fourth-generation members.

Today, the company continues to serve a broad customer base from its Kansas location southwest of downtown, supplying locksmiths and commercial customers with products for real-world security applications. Having the ability to blend traditional service values with modern business thinking has helped Smallwood remain relevant through several major industry shifts, from mechanical locks and residential hardware to automotive security, commercial door hardware, access control, electronic locks and wholesale distribution.

The addition of Squire Commercial Locks reflects the next chapter in that evolution.

Founded in England in 1780, Squire is one of the world’s oldest lock manufacturers. Its commercial product line includes heavy-duty keyed padlocks, recodable combination locks, hardened chains, hasps, container locks and key safes for applications ranging from gates and equipment yards to schools, utilities, telecom sites, commercial facilities and other demanding environments.

Smallwood’s initial Squire offering includes a practical commercial assortment of high-security padlocks, combination locks, container locks, key safes, and chains.

“Squire and Smallwood share a very similar story,” said Jerry Burhans of Squire Commercial North America. “Both companies have deep roots in the lock industry, but neither one is standing still. Smallwood understands that today’s locksmiths and facility customers need more than commodity hardware. They need products that are stronger, easier to specify, and better suited for real commercial applications. We’re excited to support Smallwood as they bring Squire Commercial Locks to customers in Kansas City and throughout their market.”

For Smallwood, the Squire line provides new options for customers facing a changing security landscape. Commercial buildings, schools, multifamily properties, equipment yards, service gates, storage containers, and remote access points all require products that match the application, environment, and level of risk.

The Squire Vulcan and Warrio combination lock ranges give customers heavier-duty alternatives to light retail-grade resettable locks, including recodable designs and hardened boron steel shackles. Squire’s high-security block combination locks provide no-key access options for gates and shared access points, while Squire chains, hasps, and container locks help customers strengthen their entire physical security footprint.

“Customers today are looking for guidance,” Smallwood said. “They may know they need a lock, but they also need help choosing the right product for the job. Is it a school, a gate or service yard, or is it a  shipping container, a contractor access point or a shared-use location where keys create problems? This is where our experience matters.”

Smallwood has also remained active in the Kansas City business community. The company was recognized as a 2023 Small Business Superstar by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, an honor given to local for-profit businesses with fewer than 250 employees that are nominated by customers, clients, or members of the community.

“Smallwood’s story is a Kansas City business story,” Burhans added. “It’s about a family company that has earned trust for generations by understanding where the market is going and making sure its customers have access to the right products at the right time.”

For more information about Smallwood Lock & Supply and its Squire Commercial Locks offering, visit the website or email Michael Smallwood: [email protected].