Graco

Graco, named for the owners, Russel Gray and Robert Cone, began in 1942 by making metal machine and car parts. By 1953, Gray had left the company, and Cone decided to change direction. One of his engineers told him that his wife soothed their baby by swinging it in a glider swing in the backyard, and thus the Graco Swyngomatic wind-up baby swing was born. Over the next half-century, Graco became one of the most well-known names in baby gear by innovating new products, like the ingenious Travel Systems that allow parents to easily move a sleeping baby from the stroller to the car to the house, or like the absolutely indispensable portable playards. Graco continues today to be a leader in the market.