Beginnings
William H. Brady founded the W. H. Brady Company in 1914 in Eau Claire, WI. Products like promotional photographic calendars were soon followed by elaborate color displays for ice cream parlors, printed glass beer signs, point-of- purchase displays, and roadside advertising.
Taking off
During World War II, Brady responded to the need for the military to clearly identify wires on ships, planes and other equipment. Brady’s self-adhesive, preprinted wire markers worked on 100+ degree landing strips or flying through subzero temperatures at 37,000 feet.
Brady begins to go international in the 1950s, with operations and partnerships in Canada, Mexico and the U.K.
Going public
In 1984, Brady went public, issuing our first-ever shares of common stock, and expanding our reach through direct marketing catalogs.
Keeping pace with technology
Starting in the 1990s, Brady introduces software that allows customers to create their own labels and printers to print on-site and on-demand. As our technological capabilities grew, so did our geographic reach.
Innovating for the future
Today, Brady is reinvesting in research and development, with a strong focus on the Voice of the Customer guiding all new product development.
More than a century of innovation at work. Trace our roots from a small promotional company in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to a global leader of safety and identification products.