Company
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, MAKESafe Tools, Inc. manufactures the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake. We also work with organizations like the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to research and develop new products for the industrial safety market. Our unique perspectives on business and engineering were best described by one of our customers back in 2016:
“MAKESafe seems to be split between two centuries. Your products reflect a 21st century Apple-like obsession with technological innovation and ease-of-use but your business philosophy and customer service are more reminiscent of mid-19th century apple pie and cast iron.”
Our technical philosophy is driven by a simple fact. Each year, more than 16,000 people are significantly injured as a result of known and easily mitigated machinery hazards. Despite a tremendous availability of resources and specific OSHA requirements, most machinery remains unguarded and workers continue to be exposed to unnecessary hazards and preventable injuries. Our early research made it clear that the complexity of machine guarding and engineering controls was a significant driver of this innaction so we set on a mission to simplify the process. After months of prototyping and testing, we developed the Power Tool Brake, and the success of the product indicates that our hypothesis was right.
Made in the USA
American manufacturing is a critical part of the economy and we work hard to support other local manufacturers. All of our products are designed and manufactured in the USA. Most of our components also come from US manufacturers. For the few tiny parts that aren’t available domestically, we make sure to source them from domestic distributors. Here’s a breakdown of a few of our major component manufacturers and distributors.
Hughes Circuits, Inc. is a family owned business 30 miles north of our HQ in San Diego. A leading manufacturer of military technology, they manufacture all of our electronic sub-assemblies.
Polycase is an family-owned Ohio-based manufacturer of UL-listed thermoplastic enclosures and they custom mold, machine, and print all of our enclosures.
OTTO is a key supplier of controls to the aerospace and heavy manufacturing industry. They are also an Illinois-based family-run business and they custom manufacture all of our on/off buttons.
PEERLESS Electronics is a NY-based employee-owned company that sources many of our electronic parts.
Our supply chain is ISO 9001 certified.
Founder Story
Scott Swaaley was born with a passion for tools and making things. He’s a passable carpenter, machinist, CNC operator, and welder with formal training and a state license as an electrical engineer. In his early career he worked in the bowels of 19th century ships, designed electrical infrastructure for hospitals, designed and built asset tracking technology for the Air Force, and helped Kaiser Permanente to develop over 20 MegaWatts of renewable energy projects.
Scott then spent 10 years working to reimagine high school shop class for the 21st century and worked to train adults and children on the safe operation of industrial machinery. During this time he received over 20 awards and recognitions for his work with hands-on experiential learning, including recognitions from Google and being featured by two documentary films. It was also here that he started to recognize the inherent risks of industrial machinery and how little the industry has done to protect operators of these machines.
After spending a year in research and development, Scott founded MAKESafe Tools in 2016 and has been an active voice in the domestic safety industry ever since.
