ALLE

Allegion Plc

A maker of locks, door hardware, and electronic access-control systems, Allegion's brands include Schlage, the lock company founded in 1920 by German-born inventor Walter Schlage in San Francisco. The company itself was born in 2013 when Ingersoll Rand spun off its security businesses, and its name comes from the word "allegiance." A fun twist: Schlage's early inventions included a door knob that turned on the lights when the door opened.