Even though we are entering our 60th year serving the locksmith industry and guided by three generations, it has been over the last 15 years that Lockmasters has seen its most aggressive growth. Lockmasters has always been known in the safe and vault world, and founded the Safe and Vault Technician Association (SAVTA) in 1986 and then donated it to the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) some years later. We still remain the leading industry supplier of combination and safe deposit locks in the country, but we have grown well beyond the safe industry.
Since 2001, we have been providing a wide range of automotive and locksmith tools and supplies. By purchasing Tech-Train we offer the industry’s premier auto entry tool kits and reference materials. We pride ourselves on our product knowledge so we staff real-world automotive locksmiths that stay current in this ever changing field. Lockmasters has compiled some of the best locksmiths in the country to offer one week of automotive classes two to three times a year. For over 10 years our PUREAuto Seminars have trained thousands of novice and experienced automotive locksmiths.
During this time Lockmasters developed and began manufacturing, the LockOne LKM7000 Series device, a high security life safety pedestrian door lock for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) rooms. In 2012, to accommodate the growing demand for the LKM7000 device, Lockmasters purchased a 20,000 sq ft. manufacturing facility. More than 25,000 LKM7000 locks now secure classified information around the world and the next generation LKM10K is currently at UL for approval.
The LKM7000 Lock Series opened the door to another opportunity – our custom door program. We listened to our customers need for doors to be prepped with all the hardware they needed for construction or retrofit projects in one box. We developed and now provide the Lockmasters “Door in a Box,” a single source, single delivery of a finished product with their exact building specifications, from standard wood doors to ballistic doors.
In 2012 Lockmasters expanded yet again into an old but ever-growing market – commercial & industrial door hardware. We hired experienced hardware individuals who began adding an impressive list of manufacturers to our already growing distributor list, including Allegion, Arrow, Sargent, Yale, GMS, and Medeco to name a few. We had offered locksmith tools for installing and servicing hardware, but customers kept asking for us to provide the actual hardware. Three years later our hardware lines continue to grow and with our customers input we hope to become as well known in hardware as we are in the safe world.
The most recent market expansion for Lockmasters has been the addition of Safes. Selectively concentrating on two premier safe lines, AMSEC and Gardall, Lockmasters now can fill one more need of its ever growing customer base. With the rapid growth in inventory of these 2 lines, Lockmasters now offers an aggressive nationwide freight and dating program, special promotions and even delivery by our own sales staff in a local 3 state area.
It all began with Harry C. Miller and educating locksmiths in 1955 and then in June 2013, Lockmasters Security Institute (LSI) and Lockmasters became one company again. When Lockmasters first opened it offered only two correspondence courses. Now, we have four full time instructors teaching 19 courses / 1000 students per year from a half-day to two-week long programs, including two new courses this year. Students come from all over of world to our training facilities located in Nicholasville, KY, and now Woodbridge, VA, which was added within the last five years. When needed, our instructors also continue to travel to customer locations all over the world. We are also proud to be one of the two schools approved to certify GSA Safe & Vault Technicians and Inspectors as well as approved for the enrollment of U.S. Military Veterans under provisions of the GI Bill.
Today Lockmasters looks very different from when it started, but one thing remains the same – the people. Many team members have been with us for over 20 years. Lockmasters’ is a team of experienced individuals who work together to assist their customers. Whether it’s opening a car door, drilling a safe lock or securing a SCIF in the Pentagon, we know how to do it, which tool to use and how to make repairs if necessary. You will never find a more qualified team and we are looking forward to the next 60 years.
