Bostitch is an American company specialising in fastening tools. It was founded in 1896 in Arlington, Massachusetts by Thomas Briggs under the name Boston Wire Stitcher Company. Briggs had previously invented the wire stitching machine, which was used to make hat boxes as well as to bind books and calendars.
This invention led to a much more famous one: the first stapler. In 1914, the company created the first hand-operated stapler: the AO model, followed by another with a magazine, the Bostitch n°1. In 1948, the company changed its name to Bostitch, from Boston and stitch. After the Second World War, the company grew rapidly, acquiring the Calwire Company in 1961 to diversify into woodworking. Bostitch also launched its own staple nailers, belt nailers, roller nailers, pneumatic nailers and compressors.
Bostitch has since joined the Stanley-Black&Decker group.