Harbor Freight Tools
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| File:HFT Logo.png | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | Los Angeles, California (1968) |
| Founder | Alan Smidt |
| Headquarters | Camarillo, California |
Number of locations | 330 |
Area served | USA |
Key people | Alan Smidt (Chairman) Eric Smidt (CEO) Robert Rene (COO) |
| Products | Tools |
Number of employees | approx 6,000 |
| Website | www.harborfreight.com |
Harbor Freight Tools is an American privately held company that runs a chain of discount tool retail stores. The company was founded in 1968, primarily selling through its mail order catalog, which still exists today. The Camarillo, California-based company offers a large variety of tools through its Web site, mail order catalog, and retail stores.
Harbor Freight has over 330 retail store locations in 43 out of 50 states. It has corporate offices in California, and South Carolina. It is one of the largest employers in Dillon, South Carolina with a distribution center spanning over 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2).[1]
Most of the tools found at Harbor Freight are sold under a variety of house brands with American-sounding names, such as Chicago Electric, Drill Master, Central Machinery, Central Pneumatic, U.S. General, and Pittsburgh Tools, but are typically imported from China, rather than U.S. made. Most U.S brands like Craftsman, Apple computers, Schwinn bicycles, Radio Flyer and most other brands are also made in Asia, and particularity China. Harbor Freight is an OEM for many other tool vendors.[citation needed]