1950's
1952
J. Walter Company founded
by Walter J. Somers in
Pointe-Claire (Quebec) Canada.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-walter-j-somers.jpg/01ef3081-42b3-4b8e-ab9d-0f52f3228d09?t=1410870553167)
1956
First 4 1/2" vertical grinder
introduced by J. Walter
Company.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1956-01.jpg/ff21e7e0-9537-44e5-8187-45abe9e3c7af?t=1410870544893)
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1957-01.jpg/6e6f24cc-f0f1-49dc-9137-fb0cd8ac2aad?t=1410870545232)
1957
Introduction of the First
Jigsaw power tool.
1959
Introduction of Walter Machinery (1959-1984).
Introduction of High Performance Power Tools and the first cold saw
(metal cutting circular saw).
![1959 - Introduction of Walter Machinery for straightening, cutting and nibbling](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/1959_machinery.jpg/f94f5bcc-d3e6-404d-87d9-70c81e55d799?t=1411069180951)
1960's
1960
Launch of the Saw Blade Sharpening Service.
![1960-saw service](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/1960_saw_service.jpg/8da2e72f-5f6d-4c33-ac43-62da611969c5?t=1411069384827)
1962
First 7" Angle Grinder
introduced to the market.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1962-01.jpg/6eb04e6e-ed06-45ff-96b0-ff1c5454415e?t=1410870545575)
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1967-01.jpg/09adf875-839a-4020-9dc7-32fa5933a01b?t=1410870545975)
1967
First 4 1/2" angle grinder
"MINI-GRINDER".
1970's
1973
Introduction of the first flexible grinding wheels followed
by other unique high performance abrasives.
![1973- first flexcut wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/1973_flexcut.jpg/20675b39-9ede-4027-945c-ca76e225ac8f?t=1411069422051)
1980's
1986
Introduction to Walter's market leading ZIPCUT/ ZIPWHEEL
high performance cutting wheel.
![1986- first zip cut wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/1988_zipcut.jpg/1b1e389e-42d2-4f65-8d58-bb0f1cc80101?t=1411069426077)
1987
Introduction of Walter’s popular Safety Seminars. Since its inception,
it has reached over 55,000 metal fabrication personnel in Canada.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1987-01.jpg/0c558ce3-5ef9-457a-af2d-8fc6e2ef3ee0?t=1410870546520)
1989
Mr. Pierre Somers was appointed President
of the company in 1989.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-pierre-somers.jpg/ed8512c2-e872-4e71-adfb-8fb972545126?t=1410870552749)
1990's
1990
Start-up of U.S. operations,
with a base office in Windsor, Connecticut.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1990-01.jpg/47fe029c-c26b-46f1-9aa0-06b2a2957450?t=1410870547142)
1996
Start-up of Brazilian operations in São Paulo
and the launch of the ENDURO-FLEX flap disc.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1996-01.jpg/fa3d634e-be5b-4309-bfa1-fef25427b2ba?t=1410870547687)
1999
Establishment of German operations through Joint-Venture
with CB-Chemie und Biotechnologie.
- ISO 9001 certification of Canadian operations.
- ISO 14 001 certification of German operations.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-1999-01.jpg/80037607-a44b-4103-9769-93fc1e340c75?t=1410870548170)
2000's
2000
Start-up of operations in Mexico.
Acquisition and conversion of Swiss operations.
Launch of Surfox, a safer and faster alternative for weld cleaning.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2000-01.jpg/931820b4-67d6-499c-8fbd-5dce242cce48?t=1410870548731)
2001
Launch of Bio-Circle Parts
washing system using
bio-remediation.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2001-01.jpg/32d4d1c7-e338-4250-abe9-b82165360ea3?t=1410870549242)
2002
Celebration of 50th Anniversary
Walter J. Somers Chair at the
HEC Business School.
Bio-Circle certified by Environment.
Canada's Environmental Choice Program. -
Eco-Logo.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2002-01.jpg/a3005104-ac14-4c8a-ae50-770004917e0b?t=1410870549708)
2006
Technology Innovation Award by the Wall Street Journal.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2006-01.jpg/0556747e-fda6-441a-9458-5248febbbc5d?t=1410870550257)
2008
ISO 14 001 certification
of Brazilian operations.
Bio-Circle L approved for the
NSF Non-food Compounds
Registration Program & EPA
approval process started.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2008-01.jpg/8a356ffe-859b-4d7d-9829-ec37be16df65?t=1410870550766)
2009
Launch of LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building
Rating System) building project for New International Headquarters in Pointe-Claire,
Quebec Canada.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10182/0/histo-2009-01.jpg/c82bfa75-d2a2-4639-bc63-89d6c037df26?t=1410870551173)
2010's
2012
Building officially completed and certified LEED GOLD, in recognition performance
in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development,
water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/walter-building.jpg/9cfcc13c-fbba-4c24-bf1f-e6bb53598ac5?t=1538501560969)
2013
Launch of ZIP-ONE, the thinnest cutting wheel on the market.
Launch of family of Nature Boost products (GS 200, CB 100 and Bio-Circle L Ultra).
Launch of the Clean-Box concept.
![2013 - zip one cutting wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/2013_zipone.jpg/5b5008ad-74e6-4a55-a855-84ee7e77633c?t=1411069429138)
2013
Walter inaugurates new state-of-the-art sustainable manufacturing facility for the Bio-Circle product line.
![2013 - zip one cutting wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/biocircle-building.jpg/eb53487d-6baf-49cd-ab22-36a03d6d0615?t=1538485846309)
2015
ZIPCUTTER is launched as Walter's first cordless grinder. It's power and long battery life raise the bar in portable grinding operations.
![2013 - zip one cutting wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/ZipCutter.jpg/a2ceaae1-67d7-41af-aea5-47c615642c8c?t=1538486763027)
2017
Walter eliminates the need for hazardous weld cleaning operations with the introduction of SURFOX - a family of highly engineered electrochemical weld cleaning and marking systems.
![2013 - zip one cutting wheel](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/surfox-305.jpg/c205bf54-8129-4a64-a87d-af4d0ea6d86f?t=1538486926467)
2018
ONCAP, the middle-market private equity platform of Onex Corporation, acquires a majority stake in Walter Surface Technologies in partnership with the existing management team.
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/oncap1.png/703c798a-728b-4fd9-9e8c-bdeec8ab1cd0?t=1539091340587)
![](https://www.walter.com/documents/10195/102456/walter-only-the-best1.jpg/981d60c6-44b1-4cb1-8c5c-4890e18f05d6?t=1538487217454)