Hillerich & Bradsby Hillerich woodworking shop. J. F. Hillerich was uninterested in making bats; he saw the company future in stair railings, porch columns and swinging butter churns. In fact, for a brief time in the 1880s, he even turned away ball players. Bud, however, saw the potential in producing baseball bats, and the elder Hillerich eventually relented to his son. The bats were sold under the name "Falls City Slugger" until Bud Hillerich took over his father's company in , and the name "Louisville Slugger" was registered with the U.S. Patent Office. In , Honus Wagner signed a deal with the company,
Louisville Ladder Louisville Ladder Louisville Ladder Inc. is one of the largest American manufacturers of ladders. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville Ladder is owned by Mexican corporation Grupo Cuprum and is the result of the gradual merger of several ladder manufacturers — Louisville, Davidson and Cuprum. Louisville Ladder is one of the largest manufacturers of ladders in North America. The company's headquarters are located in Louisville, KY, and it has a network of warehouses in various cities throughout the United States and Canada. Over 1,000 employees. The company manufactures aluminum and fiberglass ladders (including extension ladders, articulated ladders,