History

The LockTechInc legacy of invention spans almost a century, four generations, and nearly 100 patents for locks, locking devices, and security products including the Kaba Mas X0 Series.

For the past 30 years our R&D department has been supporting the government sector with security related items for specific USG customers along with supporting education. Today, LTI develops mechanical and electromechanical systems, as well as other unique products for tactical environments.

A brief timeline...


1920s
 - John C. Miller, a machinist, worked for Diebold installing bank vaults.
Mid 1930s - John C. Miller, along with his two sons Harry & James, form Safemasters, a locksmith company that primarily served the Federal government.
1940 - Harry Miller worked for the State Department opening safes around the world.
1940s - Harry Miller forms the Harry C. Miller Co. and begins developing locks to protect our nation’s most sensitive documents.
Early 1950s - Harry Miller licenses several of his lock patents to Sargent & Greenleaf in Rochester, NY. When the company fails to pay his royalties, he accepts stock instead. He becomes a majority stockholder and eventually President.
1955 - Miller, Leonard Singer & Jim Taylor found Lockmasters, a correspondence school teaching the art of combination lock manipulation.
1974 - Sargent & Greenleaf relocates to Nicholasville, KY from Rochester, NY. 1976 - Harry Miller's son Clay becomes president of Sargent & Greenleaf.
1980 - Sargent & Greenleaf is sold to Oz Mutz & Fred Risk.
1981 - Clay Miller buys Lockmasters from his father.
1982 - Lockmasters relocates from Satellite Beach, FL to Nicholasville, KY.
1983 - Lockmasters starts a wholesale tool & equipment business.
1987 - Clay Miller and partner Mike Harvey form C&M Technology and license a revolutionary high-security electronic safe lock to the company now known as DormaKaba.
1993 - Clay and brother Benson Miller found LockNet with Benson as President.
1997 - Clay Miller opens the Lockmasters Education Center, housing the Harry C. Miller Lock Collection.
1999 - Clay Miller splits the Lockmasters tool and education division into separate companies.
2000 - Clay Miller's son, Mark Miller, purchases the wholesale tool division of Lockmasters.
2000 - The education and R&D divisions become LSI • Lockmasters Security Institute.
2009 - Clay Miller acquires the A. J. Hoffman Lock Collection. Combined with the Harry C. Miller Collection, it becomes the Museum of Physical Security - the world's largest collection of time locks, safe locks, padlocks, locking devices, safes and more.
2012 - Qtactical is formed as a division of Lockmasters Security Institute to create and sell high end security devices to the clandestine community.
2013 - Mark Miller acquires LSI • Lockmasters Security Institute and combines it with Lockmasters.
2013 - Clay Miller forms LTI • LockTechInc as a security engineering group to support Qtactical.
2020 - Mark Miller sells Lockmasters to the Dominus Group, then passes away following a brave battle with cancer.
2023 - Clay Miller acquires NL Lock from legendary inventor Nick Gartner.

For more...


Museum

For more historic examples visit the Museum of Physical Security at https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/24045