Graco is a brand of baby products company owned by
Newell Rubbermaid. It was founded in 1942 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by
Russell Gray and
Robert Cone as
Graco Metal Products, a company that fabricated machine and
car parts. After Gray left the company in 1953, Cone moved the company in a different direction, manufacturing the first automatic
swing for children, the Swyngomatic, designed by
Harold Kosoff in 1982. In 1987 the company developed the Pack N' Play Portable Playard portable
playpen designed by Nate Saint. It also developed the combination
stroller and
child safety seat called the Travel System in the mid 90's. In 1998 it acquired
Century Car Seat company. It was acquired by
Rubbermaid in 1996, which was acquired to become
Newell Rubbermaid in 1999.