DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	12 Months Ended
Jan. 02, 2021
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS The Eastern Company (the “Company,” “Eastern,” “we,” “us” or “our”) manages industrial businesses that design, manufacture and sell engineered solutions to industrial markets. Eastern’s businesses operate in industries with long-term macroeconomic growth opportunities. We look to acquire businesses that produce stable and growing earnings and cash flows. Eastern may pursue acquisitions in industries other than those in which its businesses currently operate if an acquisition presents an attractive opportunity. Eastern focuses on proactive financial, operational, and strategic management of its businesses in order to increase cash generation, operating earnings and long-term shareholder value. Eastern encompasses seven operating entities within the United States, two wholly-owned Canadian subsidiaries (one located in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, and one in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada), a wholly-owned Taiwanese subsidiary located in Taipei, Taiwan, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, two wholly-owned Chinese subsidiaries (one located in Shanghai, China, and one located in Dongguan, China), a wholly-owned subsidiary in Reynosa, Mexico) and a wholly owned subsidiary in Wrexham, United Kingdom. The Company reports in two business segments: Engineered Solutions and Diversified Products. Engineered Solutions The Engineered Solutions segment consists of Big 3 Precision, including Big 3 Products and Big 3 Mold (each as defined below), Hallink Moulds, Inc. (“Hallink Moulds”) and Associated Toolmakers Ltd. (as defined below); Eberhard Manufacturing Company, Eberhard Hardware Manufacturing Ltd., and Eastern Industrial Ltd; Illinois Lock Company/CCL Security Products, World Lock Company Ltd., Dongguan Reeworld Security Products Ltd., and World Security Industries Ltd. (together “Eberhard”); and Velvac Holdings (“Velvac”). These businesses design, manufacture and market a diverse product line of custom and standard vehicular and industrial hardware, including turnkey returnable packaging solutions; access and security hardware; mirrors, mirror-cameras. Big 3 Products and Big 3 Mold offer turnkey returnable packaging solutions that are used in the assembly process of vehicles, aircraft and durable goods and in the production process of plastic packaging products, packaged consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. Big 3 Products works with manufacturers to design and produce custom returnable packaging to integrate with their assembly processes. Big 3 Mold designs and manufactures blow mold tools. Hallink Moulds manufactures injection blow mold tooling and is a supplier of blow molds and change parts to the food, beverage, healthcare and chemical industry. Hallink Moulds specializes in the design, development and manufacture of 2-step stretch blow molds, and related components for the stretch blow molding industry offering integrated turnkey solutions to its customers worldwide. In 2020, we combined all businesses associated with the Eberhard Manufacturing Company and The Illinois Lock Company to create Eberhard, a global leader in the engineering and manufacturing of access and security hardware. Eberhard offers a standard product line of rotary latches, compression latches, draw latches, hinges, camlocks, key switches, padlocks, and handles, among other products, as well as comprehensive development and program management services for custom electromechanical and mechanical systems designed for specific original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and customer applications. Eberhard’s products are found in various ranges of applications and products globally. Velvac is a designer and manufacturer of proprietary vision technology for OEMs and aftermarket applications, and a leading provider of aftermarket components to the heavy-duty truck market in North America. Velvac serves diverse, niche segments within the heavy- and medium-duty truck, motorhome, and bus markets. Diversified Products The Diversified Products segment consists of Frazer & Jones, Greenwald Industries (“Greenwald”); and Argo EMS (formerly Argo Transdata). Frazer & Jones designs and manufactures high quality ductile and malleable iron castings. Products include valves, torque screws, bean clamps and concrete anchors. These products are sold to a wide range of industrial markets, including oil, water and gas; truck/automotive rail, and military/aerospace. The Company believes Frazer & Jones is a producer of expansion shells for use in supporting the roofs of underground mines in North America. Greenwald designs, manufactures and markets payment systems and coin security products used primarily in the commercial laundry market. Greenwald’s products include timers, drop meters, coin chutes, money boxes, meter cases, mobile payment apps, smart cards, value transfer stations, smart card readers, card management software, and access control units. Argo EMS supplies printed circuit boards and other electronic assemblies to OEMs in various industries, including measurement systems, semiconductor equipment manufacturing, and industrial controls, medical and military products.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

12 Months Ended

Jan. 02, 2021

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

The Eastern Company (the “Company,” “Eastern,” “we,” “us” or “our”) manages industrial businesses that design, manufacture and sell engineered solutions to industrial markets. Eastern’s businesses operate in industries with long-term macroeconomic growth opportunities. We look to acquire businesses that produce stable and growing earnings and cash flows. Eastern may pursue acquisitions in industries other than those in which its businesses currently operate if an acquisition presents an attractive opportunity.

Eastern focuses on proactive financial, operational, and strategic management of its businesses in order to increase cash generation, operating earnings and long-term shareholder value.

Eastern encompasses seven operating entities within the United States, two wholly-owned Canadian subsidiaries (one located in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, and one in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada), a wholly-owned Taiwanese subsidiary located in Taipei, Taiwan, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, two wholly-owned Chinese subsidiaries (one located in Shanghai, China, and one located in Dongguan, China), a wholly-owned subsidiary in Reynosa, Mexico) and a wholly owned subsidiary in Wrexham, United Kingdom. The Company reports in two business segments: Engineered Solutions and Diversified Products.

Engineered Solutions

The Engineered Solutions segment consists of Big 3 Precision, including Big 3 Products and Big 3 Mold (each as defined below), Hallink Moulds, Inc. (“Hallink Moulds”) and Associated Toolmakers Ltd. (as defined below); Eberhard Manufacturing Company, Eberhard Hardware Manufacturing Ltd., and Eastern Industrial Ltd; Illinois Lock Company/CCL Security Products, World Lock Company Ltd., Dongguan Reeworld Security Products Ltd., and World Security Industries Ltd. (together “Eberhard”); and Velvac Holdings (“Velvac”). These businesses design, manufacture and market a diverse product line of custom and standard vehicular and industrial hardware, including turnkey returnable packaging solutions; access and security hardware; mirrors, mirror-cameras.

Big 3 Products and Big 3 Mold offer turnkey returnable packaging solutions that are used in the assembly process of vehicles, aircraft and durable goods and in the production process of plastic packaging products, packaged consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. Big 3 Products works with manufacturers to design and produce custom returnable packaging to integrate with their assembly processes. Big 3 Mold designs and manufactures blow mold tools. Hallink Moulds manufactures injection blow mold tooling and is a supplier of blow molds and change parts to the food, beverage, healthcare and chemical industry. Hallink Moulds specializes in the design, development and manufacture of 2-step stretch blow molds, and related components for the stretch blow molding industry offering integrated turnkey solutions to its customers worldwide.

In 2020, we combined all businesses associated with the Eberhard Manufacturing Company and The Illinois Lock Company to create Eberhard, a global leader in the engineering and manufacturing of access and security hardware. Eberhard offers a standard product line of rotary latches, compression latches, draw latches, hinges, camlocks, key switches, padlocks, and handles, among other products, as well as comprehensive development and program management services for custom electromechanical and mechanical systems designed for specific original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and customer applications. Eberhard’s products are found in various ranges of applications and products globally.

Velvac is a designer and manufacturer of proprietary vision technology for OEMs and aftermarket applications, and a leading provider of aftermarket components to the heavy-duty truck market in North America. Velvac serves diverse, niche segments within the heavy- and medium-duty truck, motorhome, and bus markets.

Diversified Products

The Diversified Products segment consists of Frazer & Jones, Greenwald Industries (“Greenwald”); and Argo EMS (formerly Argo Transdata). Frazer & Jones designs and manufactures high quality ductile and malleable iron castings. Products include valves, torque screws, bean clamps and concrete anchors. These products are sold to a wide range of industrial markets, including oil, water and gas; truck/automotive rail, and military/aerospace. The Company believes Frazer & Jones is a producer of expansion shells for use in supporting the roofs of underground mines in North America. Greenwald designs, manufactures and markets payment systems and coin security products used primarily in the commercial laundry market. Greenwald’s products include timers, drop meters, coin chutes, money boxes, meter cases, mobile payment apps, smart cards, value transfer stations, smart card readers, card management software, and access control units. Argo EMS supplies printed circuit boards and other electronic assemblies to OEMs in various industries, including measurement systems, semiconductor equipment manufacturing, and industrial controls, medical and military products.