From its foundation in 1925, the company was located in Long Island City, Queens, New York, United States, until the plant was moved to Nogales, Mexico, in 1999.

[2] At that time, it was known as the Parrot Speed Fastener Company and opened its first manufacturing facilities on Varick Street, and in Long Island City in 1931.

[2] Eight years later the company changed its name to Speed Products and created the first top-opening stapler, allowing easy refilling of a full strip of staples.

[4] In 1999 Acco closed Swingline's Long Island City plant, which it had occupied for fifty years, and moved production to Nogales, Mexico.

When the closing was announced in 1997, Acco was criticized by New York's mayor, Rudy Giuliani, who said the city could do without a company that did not want to pay workers an adequate wage.