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ABOVE: Stanley Kingsberry gets a congratulatory hug from Dr. Don Tomas, Southwestern Community College’s president, during the Dec. 16 graduation ceremony in Sylva. BELOW: Stanley Kingsberry (center), who graduated from SCC in December, holds the official U.S. Patent for his magnetic wrench invention. Pictured with Kinsberry are David Myers (left) and Hunter Braswell, faculty members in SCC’s automotive systems technology program. |
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A few short years ago, the magnetic wrench existed only as a rough idea in Stanley Kingsberry’s mind.
Today, it is very real … and it’s on sale in Western North Carolina and around the world.
Under the tradename of “Magna-Wrench,” Kingsberry’s patented invention is manufactured in Henderson County – and sets are available through Amazon, Houzz.com and on the shelves of retail stores in Macon County.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally have these wrenches produced and on sale,” said Kingsberry, who graduated from Southwestern Community College’s automotive systems technology program in December. “It’s taken a lot of hard work, but that has made this even more rewarding.”
Currently selling the wrenches are Parts City and Appalachian Ace Hardware in Franklin.
The wrenches themselves are being manufactured at Daystar Machining Technologies, Inc., in Fletcher.
Kingsberry applied for and received an official U.S. patent for the magnetic wrench while attending classes at SCC and said the support he received there played a key role in transforming his revolutionary idea from a dream to reality.
“The faculty and staff at Southwestern were on my side from the minute I arrived there even though they didn’t know about this invention until much later,” Kingsberry said. “This whole journey has been a dream come true, and we’re just getting started.”
Kingsberry is currently in negotiations with the U.S. Army to supply that branch of the military with wrenches.
Despite his success, Kingsberry hasn’t forgotten his alma mater. He recently gave several free sets to the automotive systems technology program at SCC.
“Stanley is just amazing,” said David Myers, who coordinates SCC’s automotive program. “His magnetic wrench idea will revolutionize our industry. We are so grateful that he gave us a few sets; our students use them every day, and they make everything we do so much easier.”
To learn more about the Magna-Wrench, visit www.magneticwrenchsystems.com.
For more information about Southwestern Community College and the programs it offers, visit www.southwesterncc.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.
