Calphalon was launched in 1963 by Ronald M. Kasperzak, the inventor of hard-anodized aluminum cookware. He used a process from the aerospace industry to make durable cookware resistant to warping and corrosion. By the mid-1980s, it was making the rounds in gourmet stores and eventually department stores. In 1998, Calphalon was acquired by Newell Brands, the consumer goods company that owns a portfolio of well-known brands including Rubbermaid, Crockpot, Oster, Mr. Coffee, and others.