Headquartered in Santa Ana, California



HITT Marking Devices has been a family-owned and managed operation since 1987. The company has demonstrated throughout it's history, the ability to innovate both products and merchandising methods throughout the marking device, stenciling and evidence collection industries. HITT Marking Devices is quick to respond to changing market needs with new products, new merchandising and new packaging. The company is strategically focused on significant product expansion through partnerships with the end-users as well as the wholesalers to create tools that make the job tasks less expensive, easier, faster and of course safer.

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The following letter was written several years ago and presented to Harold Hitt, President, by his father at an awards banquet. We felt it was worth sharing and believe it will provide you with some insight into how Hitt Marking Devices began.

In keeping with the all American dream, for sometime our son Harold, together with his wife Heidi, had been looking for a business they could establish where they would "be their own boss." In 1987 they came to my wife Dottie and me, with a proposal. It wasn’t a proposal to borrow money from us to start their dream business. What Harold proposed was a true partnership where he and Heidi would match our investment and we would start a Rubber Stamp Business." He suggested that this business be started in my garage using some old outdated equipment donated to the cause by Heidi’s mother, who owns and operates a rubber stamp business in Hemet, CA.

The plan was that Dottie would make the stamps. Harold and Heidi would function primarily in sales. We agreed to the plan and the family business, "HITT MARKING DEVICES, INC." was begun. The company grew quickly and it wasn’t long before Harold, Heidi and Ken had to quit their jobs, and come into the business full time to assist Dottie in manufacturing and sales. Harold and Ken made sales calls and deliveries in the morning, then rushed back to help Heidi and Dottie manufacture, invoice and ship out the daily orders. Also as a result of the company’s rapid growth, it wasn’t long before they were bumping into each other in our garage. Harold began looking for a more suitable location, in the Orange County area. In addition to the fact they needed more space, Harold confessed to being embarrassed to tell his customers that he was operating out of "a garage."

We truly stepped out on faith, but hedged that faith at Harold’s direction, by moving into the same general area where several large national and international corporations had established their home offices. New product lines were added such as, specialty inks, stone stamp pads, fingerprint pads, engraving, plaques & awards, stencils, labels, electric time recorders, electric branding machines, etc. It truly became a marking device business, instead of merely a rubber stamp business.

We were recently awarded HEAVY WEIGHT SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR by Marking Industry Magazine. Harold has made it clear that he isn’t going to be satisfied with being just another marking device company. He wants to be the best and the biggest. He is committed to offering the best in service, together with a quality product which is competitively priced. We are not the biggest yet but we are the best, thanks mostly to Harold and the dream that he held onto and sacrificed to achieve.

Also, thanks to Harold’s philosophy of providing both quality and good service, and the efforts of our youngest son Ken, our company, Hitt Marking Devices was awarded Nordstrom Department store’s "SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR" award. Since Nordstrom is considered to be a leader in both quality and service, this was no small accomplishment. We are grateful to Ken for making it happen. Ken, who entered the business in late 1988, has become an invaluable member of Hitt Marking Devices family team, as demonstrated by this award.

One of Harold’s stated goals from the very beginning has been to provide a source of income for his dad and mom’s retirement. That goal has now been achieved much earlier than we ever dreamed it could.

This award given this 14th day of December, 1993, by his proud parents, Don and Dottie Hitt.

In the years since this letter was written, Don and Dottie have retired to Washington State. Heidi is a stay at home mom with two children. Harold, President and Ken, Vice President still remains involved in day to day operations.

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PRODUCTS

Scrapbook, Crafting & Stamping Products; Craft stamping products are known in the scrapbooking and stamping world to be the best of quality crafting products. We are proud to carry the complete line of ColorBox products. Colorbox brings you a wonderful selection of different colored inks, dyes stamps and more. Choose beautiful color Ink pads and a huge selection of chalk inks, pearlized accent inks, spritz inks - ink you can spray. Colorbox products add a beautiful splash of color to your scrapbook layouts, cards and other crafting projects.

Readmission Stamps and Security Inking Products; Re-admittance marking for Night Clubs, Amusement Parks and just about any other related crowd control and security issues. Suggestions for use; Apply a rubber stamp imprint with the fluorescent ink to a patron's hand or surfaces such as tickets, documents and textiles.

Crowd Control & Public Guidance Systems; From regulating entry to high-end nightclubs to organizing the flow of folks in line at the mall food court to marking ticket booth.

Pre-Inked Stamps: A pre-inked stamp holds ink within its own ink-saturated die, eliminating the need for an ink pad. Simply press the pre-inked stamp against the paper to make a clean impression.

Laser Engraved: Laser engraving can create the best in detailed graphics, replicate intricate logos, and engrave at various depths for a more textured finished product. All Xstamper, Super W, Royal Mark, Inspection Stamps, Real Rubber part marking stamps are laser engraved using the latest laser technology. This process is by far the most convenient and offers the best quality impression.

Self-Inking Stamps: The self-inking stamp has a special mount that has a built-in ink pad and spring mechanism that automatically re-inks the die between impressions.

Steel Stamps: With heavy-duty construction and precision components, these stamps ensure a smooth, quiet action. They are best used for rugged environments or where high-volume stamping occurs.

Metal Marking and Steel Numbering Heads;  Metal marking machines and marking devices. Our products can be used for stamping serial numbers, date codes, product codes, and other permanent identification needs.

Plastic Stamps: Economical with a lightweight yet very durable construction, these stamps are perfect for everyday use. They have been well-engineered for both ease and frequency of use.

Traditional Stamps: Popular in large part due to their reasonable price and their quick delivery time; however, the ink pad that is necessary is messy and inconvenient. Most of these stamps are made with a photopolymer die. The dies are made of rubber if they will be used with non-porous (fast dry) inks.

Photopolymer Stamps: Dies made from liquid photopolymer are quickest and least expensive for one of a kind dies. Hard sheet clear photopolymer is used as a master when the same design will be mass produced.

Vulcanized Rubber: Vulcanization is the process of treating crude or synthetic rubber or similar plastic material chemically to give it useful properties such as elasticity, strength, and stability. Vulcanized dies are made with hard sheet polymer, pressed under heat and pressure into a matrix. This matrix is the mold for gum rubber and vulcanized to make the rubber stamp die.

Reverse Engraved: Laser engraves the back of the plate using special plastic, through the color surface to reach a clear core. The clear engraved letters can then be filled with a latex acrylic-based paint to match any office décor. The process leaves a smooth dust free top surface and cuts housekeeping service needs.

Engraved Rubber: Engraved rubber is available in many different colors, textures and finishes. Fabrication equipment including the latest in laser and digital technology is used.

Stencils: custom and stock laser engraved Mylar, ABS plastic, oil board, brass stencils, traffic and parking lot stencils and so much more.

Striping Machines, Stenciling Paint and Marking Chalks; We offer a very extensive line of striping machines, with regards to having the correct paint, or chalk to complete any field and/or parking lot project.

Stenciling Inks; All Military specification inks available.

Non-Porous Inks: Inks used to make a permanent mark on glass, plastic, metal or glossy paper. Usual drying time of 15 seconds or less.

Epoxy paste inks; We supply 1 part and 2 part epoxy paste inks for virtually any epoxy ink application.

Fingerprinting and Evidence Collection; HITT Marking Devices also provides evidence collection and crime scene investigation products to crime laboratories and crime scene investigators throughout the world.  With over 25 years of experience, we are one of the nation’s most proficient developer and manufacturer of forensic kits.  We are committed to providing our customers with state-of-the-art forensics products at affordable prices.  It is our goal, through our research and development program, to continue to develop superior products to aid in all aspects of crime scene investigation and crime laboratory analysis.  We know how important our products are to the forensics community, from investigation to prosecution – that is why our slogan says it all, Make your mark a HITT., represents the mission of our customers.

Child Fingerprint Products; Child identification kits, children fingerprinting products.

Forensic UV lights; From weapon lights to area lights, for law enforcement, crowd control, corrections and military applications.

"If you’re in the area we invite you to come by and see us."



HITT Marking Devices
Division of The Hitt Companies, Inc.
3231 W. MacArthur Blvd.
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Ph. 714-979-1405, Fx. 714-979-1407