OTC Tools (originally Owatonna Tool Company) is a tool and equipment manufacturer based in Owatonna, Minnesota. The company was founded by Godfrey Kaplan, the owner of a small machine shop in this city. Kaplan's son, Ruben, invented the "Grip-O-Matic" universal gripper and received his first patent. This tool has remained virtually unchanged since its inception.
By early 1934, OTC was selling a variety of mechanic's tools to farmers and auto repair shops. Tools were sold direct from the manufacturer using temporary display boards on vans or converted cars. During World War II, the U.S. Army and Navy purchased large volumes of OTC tools from 1939 onwards, and the company doubled its workforce by 1945.
By 1985, OTC offered an extensive line of tools and systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and aftermarket customers. Today, OTC is a global supplier of automotive diagnostic equipment, fuel system tools, specialty tools, general purpose tools, quickdraws, heavy equipment tools, auto repair equipment and hydraulic components.
