Belwith Products Unveils Brand ReLaunch, Major Product Launches, New Brand Alignment.
Belwith Products® made a major splash at the 2025 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) with a return to its roots: the relaunch of Keeler Brass® and the largest product launch in ten years; Hickory Hardware® introduced a new category of bath product, launch the largest addition to a collection in years, as well as enhancements to the user experience in its AR platform; and unveiled a new brand alignment with Grothouse.
“From the close knit family beginnings, the Keeler Brass Company the name has become synonymous with high quality production, impeccable workmanship, and design innovation,” says John Veleris, chairman and CEO, Belwith Products. “This year, we are coming full circle, being authentic to the values, vision and mission on which the Keeler brothers founded the company, with a focus on renewal and growth.”
Keeler Brass: In Pursuit of Perfection, A Legacy Returns.
What began as a small family foundry, founded by brothers Miner, George, and Isaac Keeler in 1893, the Keeler Brass Company grew to become one of the largest private employers in Michigan. To honor its rich history spanning more than 130 years, the Michigan-based decorative and security product manufacturer Belwith Products® is going back to its roots to lead an umbrella of hardware brands that now includes a familiar name: Keeler Brass®.
The new umbrella of Belwith Products brands will include three defining brands:
Keeler Brass Company
Comprised of Belwith Keeler: designed with influence from the latest fashion, furniture, and interior design industries trends, and the new Keeler Brass: setting the standard in luxury hardware, designed to be both timeless and transformative for your home proudly and wholly designed in-house, constructed of solid brass and bronze products.
Hickory Hardware
Hickory Hardware reflects a vision be the most trusted name in functional and decorative hardware and best in class service to customers today, while providing continuous improvement in product offerings and service for tomorrow.
First Watch Security
First Watch Security has been designing, manufacturing, and delivering home security products since 1959. Today, First Watch Security is one of the most recognized brands in the market, producing products for home and commercial use.
As a new division of the Keeler Brass Company, Keeler Brass has been the grassroots of the Belwith Products LLC company. Today, Keeler Brass carries its proud tradition forward as a division of the Keeler Brass Company, specializing in sophisticated, luxury brass hardware.
Largest Product Launch in Company History
Reviving the Keeler Brass brand meant staying true to the artisanal approach of designing product in-house. Every piece is meticulously created with timeless elegance blended with modern innovation at company headquarters in Grandville, Michigan.
To help navigate the Keeler Brass rebranding experience, Keeler Brass has refined the way they present luxury brass hardware by creating a more intuitive categorization of three distinct categories: Principle, Premier, and Studio.
“Designing this product in a componentized construction, Keeler Brass will be assembling to order for the first time in 40 years, here in the U.S., bringing not only a new brand and new hardware styles to the market, but bringing back jobs to America,” says Jason Chau, president, Belwith Products. “Our new branding reflects this passion for merging tradition with imaginative thinking.”
The Principle category will include the unveiling of 16 new solid brass collections. Ten of the collections are comprised of componentized parts of solid brass bars and bases with hand crafted and machined features including diagonal knurling, hand-hammering and more. The collections will showcase a diversified portfolio of styles, and are available in seven industry standard finishes, starting at $40.99 MSRP.
The Empire Series captures the classic microcosm that is New York City. “The Empire City” is a community encapsulating the many characteristics, qualities and features of the masses which venture there as if it is a right passage to experience. Every style, preference and trend are in some way represented to reflect the work, play, creativity, commerce, and ingenuity that unfolds when visiting New York City, somehow representing us all. This series includes the Madison, Carnegie, Hyde Park, Rockefeller, Lincoln, Chelsea, Waverly, SoHo, Ellis, and Empire Collections.
The Geography Series, which includes the Parkview, Edgewood, Brentwood, and Chatham collections, is a merge of mediums: classic Bauhaus aesthetic showcasing angular features with a sprinkling of ornamentation, and reflecting a desire to escape the increasingly urban places. Modern spaces with park views merge in similar ways. Chatham includes farmhouse designs of cup pulls with brass screw attachments, and a uniquely square knob to bring that feel of a simpler setting. Brentwood offers intricate rope detail and knob backplates for elevated appeal.
And the Universal Series includes backplates that are engineered to fit most Keeler Brass collections, offering a practical solution for various hardware configurations, as well as the Contours Lip Pull collection, designed to achieve a sleek, modern, and minimalist impact.
The Premier category includes the Anthology Series and custom-finish hardware combinations and size options.
Lastly, the Studio category includes the brand’s industry collaborative and OEM collaborations including an industry-first partnership with luxury appliance brand MonogramTM for the Designer Collection.
Keeler Brass categories are designed with ergonomics in mind. For example, as the Empire Series bar to post overhang is a minimal 1” for a less intrusive design ensuring a comfortable hold, and no opportunity for catching on clothing. These collections feature subtle attributes added such as proper chamfers and fillets highlighting perfect details. These thoughtful nuances not only enhance functionality but also elevate the aesthetic appeal of the hardware.
“We edit and transform every design with an eye for timelessness and polish,” shares Knikki Kennedy Grantham, creative director, Belwith Products. “We seek to emphasize the craftsmanship and premium materials used in the Keeler Brass line to ensure longevity, durability and a luxury feel.”
The collections are available in multiple knob shapes and sizes, in seven industry standard finishes. Universal backplates are interchangeable with a multitude of collections. Cup pulls are available in various designs and sizes, and the Contours lip pulls in various sizes.
Hickory Hardware Launches Bath Sets, New Brand, Advanced AR
Hickory Hardware will introduce a new category with the addition of bath accessories to four popular collections: Studio, Piper, Woodward, and Skylight, and available in five coordinating finishes: Brushed Golden Brass, Champagne Bronze, Chrome, Matte Black, and Satin Nickel.
The brand will also relaunch a robust offering of the popular Heritage Design Collection. With six new products now available in three Heritage finishes, as well as extended lengths.
And recently, Hickory Hardware dramatically improved the shopping experience by launching a new website that provides customers the means to find their “best choices” faster, better, and more easily than ever before – by simply using their smart phone and mobile devices.
“As an innovator we are always looking to enhance our business model by applying new methods and technologies,” shares John Veleris, CEO of Hickory Hardware parent company Belwith Keeler Décor Solutions. “Three years ago, we were the first to develop and launch an augmented reality (AR) platform for all our products. And we were the first in our space to embrace eCommerce and Omnichannel strategies, extending our new capabilities to our commercial customers. As an early adopter, we explore and use new technologies way ahead of others for a simple reason: the benefit of all our customers.”
Found on HickoryHardware.com, users can upload, touch and drag hardware onto their furniture and cabinetry, right from the comfort of their home. The “View in my space” AR platform is embedded in Hickory Hardware’s product links – no apps or gadgets required.
Brand Alignment with Grothouse
Merging luxury hardware with the warmth of natural wood, Belwith Products’ booth will feature a brand alignment with Grothouse, a leader in luxury wood surfaces. The alignment highlights Grothouse’s innovative craftsmanship through a custom designed Touch Table, which will be showcased in the Belwith Products’ booth.
The table, which is the vision of Belwith Products’ Creative Director Knikki Kennedy Grantham, will enable the Belwith Products team to engage with and better help dealers and designers, by providing a hands-on experience with products. David Warmenhoven, Belwith Products Director of Product Innovation, worked closely with Grothouse founder Paul Grothouse to marry Grantham’s visual with Grothouse’s Pastore™ Waterfall tactile table concept to engineer the Touch Table, crafted from wirebrushed Red Oak, finished with a black stain and red glaze protected with Durata® Satin for a subtle sheen.
“Our collaborations with Belwith Products embody a design evolution,” said Paul Grothouse, Founder of Grothouse. “We are thrilled to partner with Belwith Products to enhance their KBIS presentation by integrating wood’s inherent beauty and character, and we are honored to be a part of their vision.”