West Coast Corporation Information

The story of West Coast Corporation represents the true essence of American ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. In 1948, while working as a train conductor, Russ Lummis noted that railway switchmen, at risk of being caught while mounting and dismounting moving rail cars, lacked a safe and secure way to carry dangling keys. With that small — but by no means insignificant — discovery, Russ Lummis developed the Original KEY-BAK® self-retracting key reel and subsequently founded the company that would become West Coast Corporation out of his garage in sunny Pasadena, California. Nearly 70 years later, WCC produces and distributes high-quality products that provide security and convenience to our customers in the U.S. and around the world. Our proximity to a growing manufacturing industry together with a profound desire to innovate enabled WCC to work with major aerospace manufacturers like Caltech and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratories to access the best engineering, tooling and materials on the market. An early adoption of these state-of-the-art technological advancements ushered in the evolution of the original self-retracting key reel to the one we know today. After outgrowing our facilities in 1985, WCC moved 40 miles east to Ontario, California, where we currently call our corporate headquarters – home. Today, we create and market unique, durable security and retractable products for business, safety, public security, loss prevention and outdoor recreation, for both work and play. An employee-owned business, WCC's entrepreneurial DNA makes us a great business partner and a terrific place to work in southern California. We are proud of our history, the products we create and distribute, and we look forward to serving you with innovative, quality products, excellent customer service and most importantly the priceless feeling of first-rate security and convenience.