About Weslock. In 1932, the Hilgren Family founded Weslock in California. Weslock was later merged with Western Lock Sales to form Weslock Lock Manufacturing. Weslock had always operated as a family owned business until 1960, when the company was sold to Tool Research Engineering. It was at this point that Weslock’s corporate owned phase began. During this phase, various large corporate owned companies such as ALCOA, Nalcor, Macklandburg-Duncan and Weslock Brand Company managed Weslock. Manufacturing operations were U.S. based until mid-1998 when Weslock Brand moved manufacturing operations to Mexico in order to be more competitive with other U.S. lock companies.