Carl Rieger and Friedrich Dietz start RUD's predecessor, Rieger & Dietz Kettenfabrik, in Aalen-Unterkochen, Germany. The business has 16 employees and is a chain forge and factory. The lifting point has yet to be invented, but the two entrepreneurs have begun building the foundation for it. 

After moving to Rockford in 1919, Leslie M. Caldwell established his first business, the L.M. Caldwell Contractors Equipment Co. Mr. Caldwell's business evolved and he found some success as a weather stripping contractor, outfitting some of Rockford's historic properties: the Rockford Trust, Talcott, and Mead buildings.

Mr. Caldwell began his relationship with Macwhyte Co. of Kenosha, WI, a wire rope sling manufacturer.

The RENFROE legacy began in 1940 in Jacksonville, FL, with Joseph Renfroe and his four sons. Local lore says Mr. Renfroe may have been known as a frequent riverboat gambler and started to notice the way boats were being built and loaded. He thought there must be an easier way to lift sheets of steel and devised the first-ever plate clamp. It didn't take long for the idea to catch on. The J.C. Renfroe company was born ... and clamps become known as "Renfroes."

On June 16, 1954, Mr. Caldwell, along with Marvin W. Woolf and Attorney John Hallock, incorporate The Caldwell Company with 6,000 shares of $10 per share common stock. The firm was created to make and distribute the then-new nylon slings and the patented Adjust-a-Leg equalizing wire rope sling.

All three companies grow and change. At RENFROE, Joseph's son Charles takes the helm and expands the product line, while also growing the marketplace, taking it worldwide. At Caldwell, Jack Remington purchases the business and begins to develop new product lines.

RENFROE clamps are used to move over 900 million tons of steel in the building of the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO.

The Liberty Bell is moved from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, using RENFROE clamps, to a pavilion across the street so it could accommodate bigger crowds during Bicentennial celebrations. It will be moved once more, in 2003, to the Liberty Bell Center, once again relying on RENFROE for a safe journey.

Caldwell once again changes hands and is purchased by Howard Will Jr. Mr. Will beefs up the engineering team and sets his cap to establish the biggest selection of below-the hook lifting devices available from one source.

RUD develops its first boltable and weldable lifting points, beginning a new chapter in the company's storied and successful history.

RUD introduces the VWBG swivel load ring, providing an exciting product line expansion for a growing, international rigging and lashing industry. 

Anne Luten Renfroe is elected President of the Association of Wire Rope Fabricators, the first woman to hold the title. 

Building on its reputation for innovation, RUD is the first lashing and lifting means manufacturer to equip products with RFID transponders.

Caldwell purchases J.C. RENFROE and moves operations to Rockford, IL, where the world-renowned clamps continue to be produced under the RENFROE brand name today. The addition of the lifting clamp category allows Caldwell to provide a more complete lifting solution to the rigging industry.

Caldwell announces two important customer benefits:

The new IN STOCK program puts more than 400 of the most in-demand SKUs on our shelves, so they are ready when distributors need them most. 

And, the Caldwell website launches its FASTFIND tool, where registered users can look up pricing and availability with ease, 24/7/365. Don't have access yet? Tell us you want it here: https://www.caldwellinc.com/contact