C. & E. Fein history

Just months after Bell’s telephone was introduced to the world, in 1877, FEIN launched a telephone with a horseshoe magnet – the new standard which was to remain in place for many years.

In 1879 Wilhelm Emil Fein was awarded a patent for an improved telephone with better transmission quality.

In 1895, the resourceful employees at FEIN combined a hand drill with small electric motors.

In 1908, FEIN became a 'specialised factory for power tools'. Initial efforts focused on quickly improving the drill, giving it more power and making it more lightweight.

In the USA in 1910 a tool and die worker called Duncan Black sold his car for $600 and, together with his friend Alonzo Decker, opened a small machine shop.

Developments were made to power tools since 1916, with constant inventions aimed to make them lighter and easier to use.

The first prototypes to use the now familiar ‘pistol’ shape were built in 1918 in accordance with an American model.

In 1927 electric handsaws began to be built for the timber industry.

While experiments with different materials took place, it was in 1957 that the first power tool with a plastic casing was created by Bosch.

In 1961 Black & Decker designed and manufactured the first cordless power tool.

The first cordless 2-kilo hammer that could be operated without the need of mains power. For example, the Bosch GBH 24 VRE Professional (shown above) introduced in 1984 was the world’s first rechargeable battery operated rotary hammer.

In January 2007 FEIN launched the latest generation of the FEIN MultiMaster with the QuickIN tool clamping system.