Squire Joins SHDA, Bringing 245 Years of Engineering Heritage to the North American Locksmith Channel
ST. LOUIS – Henry Squire & Sons USA LLC has joined the Security Hardware Distributors Association (SHDA) as an Associate Member, marking a significant milestone in the company’s strategic expansion into the United States and Canada.
Founded in 1780, Squire is one of the world’s oldest lock manufacturers and remains family-owned through eight generations. Under the leadership of CEO John Squire, the company is extending its 245-year engineering heritage into North America with a focused commitment to the professional locksmith and security hardware distribution channel.
“We are not entering North America as a volume importer,” said John Squire. “We are entering as a long-term partner to distribution, aligned with SHDA’s mission to support the professional channel and elevate standards across the industry.”
Squire’s North American strategy is simple: build Stronghold into a trusted professional house brand through disciplined distribution and operational clarity. By combining certified performance standards with clear ordering, service, and channel support, Squire aims to give SHDA distributors and locksmiths a specification-grade platform they can standardize on today and confidently grow with tomorrow.
The company’s flagship Stronghold SS100CS LEV5 padlock is the first and only padlock to achieve LPCB Level 5 accreditation and also meets CEN Grade 6 standards, the highest European benchmark for padlock security.
For North American security professionals, these certifications translate directly into ASTM F883 performance language. CEN Grade 6 and LPCB SR5 testing require sustained resistance to tensile pull, shackle cutting, plug torque, impact, drilling, and prolonged manual attack. In ASTM terms, this aligns with, and in several categories exceeds, the thresholds associated with ASTM F883 Grade 6 padlocks.
ASTM Grade 6 testing includes high-load tensile pull requirements, aggressive shackle cutting force thresholds, extended plug torque resistance, and timed drilling and manipulation resistance. The SS100CS LEV5 is engineered to withstand extreme mechanical assault, including angle grinder attack, through tungsten carbide reinforcement in both the body and shackle. It is designed not merely to delay attack, but to destroy cutting discs before compromise occurs.
In practical terms, this allows distributors and locksmiths to confidently position the Stronghold platform in regulated, utility, transportation, and infrastructure environments where ASTM Grade 6–level performance is expected.
A Channel-First Commitment
A defining element of Squire’s SHDA membership is its strict “No-Bypass” distribution policy. The company does not sell around distribution partners through direct-to-end-user programs or uncontrolled e-commerce channels.
In a marketplace where some brands are broadly available across retail and online outlets, professional differentiation becomes increasingly difficult. Squire’s disciplined distribution model is designed to protect channel integrity, preserve margin structure, and allow distributors to compete on performance specifications rather than price compression.
“Squire is a generational business, and SHDA distributors are generational businesses,” adds Jerry Burhans, Squire’s U.S. security channel sales director. “That alignment matters. We’re not chasing short-term volume. We’re building a professional house brand that locksmiths can specify and distributors can grow with long-term.”
Building the Professional Standard Around Stronghold
For the North American locksmith channel, Squire’s strategy centers on elevating the category around one core engineering platform: the Stronghold family. Rather than fragmenting the padlock wall across unrelated product tiers, Squire builds from a unified hardened steel foundation designed for demanding security environments.
Stronghold Range – The Everyday Professional Standard
Manufactured from solid hardened steel with boron alloy shackles and 6-pin precision cylinders, the Stronghold range delivers performance levels comparable to ASTM Grade 5–6 applications. Available in multiple body widths and shackle configurations, these locks are engineered for industrial gates, warehouses, commercial facilities, and regulated sites. Master key suites and keyed-alike options support scalable access control programs.
Stronghold Stainless Range – Marine-Grade Performance
For corrosive and coastal environments, the Stronghold Stainless range features solid stainless steel bodies and shackles, salt spray tested to 480 hours. Designed for ports, water treatment facilities, food processing, and exposed industrial sites, this platform combines environmental resilience with specification-grade security.
At the top of the architecture sits the Stronghold® SS100CS LEV5, engineered for extreme-risk environments requiring maximum attack resistance. By anchoring the category around a single platform, Squire enables distributors to rationalize inventory, simplify training, and standardize around a brand built for professional environments, not retail shelves.
A Long-Term Investment
As a family-owned manufacturer, Squire operates without private equity ownership or short-term earnings pressure. Its North American expansion is positioned as a generational investment in engineering leadership, distributor partnerships, and locksmith trust.
By joining SHDA, Squire signals its intent to participate fully in the North American security hardware community, collaborating with distributors, supporting locksmith professionals, and contributing to the advancement of industry standards.
“We believe the professional channel deserves a manufacturer that shares its values,” said Squire. “We intend to be the kind of manufacturer SHDA members can rely on today, and ten years from now.”