QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

Exhibit 21

LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS, INC.
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT

The Company's subsidiaries and joint ventures are listed in the following table:

Name	Country of Incorporation	Percent Ownership
A. B. Arriendos S.A.	Chile		50
Arc Products, Inc.	United States		100
Electro-Arco S.A.	Portugal		100
Harris Calorific GmbH	Germany		100
Harris Calorific International Sp. z o.o.	Poland		100
Harris Calorific S.r.l.	Italy		100
Harris Euro S.L.	Spain		100
Harris Soldas Especiais S.A.	Brazil		90
Inversiones LyL S.A.	Chile		50
J.W. Harris Co., Inc.	United States		100
Jinzhou Jin Tai Welding and Metal Co., Ltd.	China		100
Jinzhou Zheng Tai Welding and Metal Co., Ltd.	China		100
Kaynak Teknigi Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.	Turkey		50
Lincoln Canada Holdings 2 ULC	Canada		100
Lincoln Electric Bester Sp. z o.o.	Poland		100
Lincoln Electric Japan K.K.	Japan		100
Lincoln Electric (U.K.) Ltd.	United Kingdom		100
Lincoln Electric Company (India) Private Limited	India		100
Lincoln Electric Company of Canada LP	Canada		100
Lincoln Electric do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda.	Brazil		100
Lincoln Electric Europe B.V.	The Netherlands		100
Lincoln Electric Europe, S.L.	Spain		100
Lincoln Electric France S.A.S.	France		100
Lincoln Electric Heli (Zhengzhou) Welding Materials Company Ltd.	China		68
Lincoln Electric International Holding Company	United States		100
Lincoln Electric Italia S.r.l.	Italy		100
Lincoln Electric Luxembourg S.ar.l.	Luxembourg		100
Lincoln Electric Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.	China		100
Lincoln Electric Manufactura, S.A. de C.V.	Mexico		100
Lincoln Electric Maquinas, S. de R.L. de C.V.	Mexico		100
Lincoln Electric Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.	Mexico		100
Lincoln Electric North America, Inc.	United States		100
Lincoln Electric S.A.	Argentina		100
Lincoln Global Holdings LLC	United States		100
Lincoln Global, Inc.	United States		100
Lincoln Smitweld B.V.	The Netherlands		100
Lincoln Soldaduras de Colombia Ltda.	Colombia		100
Lincoln Soldaduras de Venezuela C.A.	Venezuela		100
Lincoln Electric Spain, S.L.	Spain		100
Metrode Products Limited	United Kingdom		100
OAO Mezhgosmetiz – Mtsensk	Russia		100
OOO Torgovyi Dom Mezhgosmetiz	Russia		100
OOO Severstal – metiz: Welding Consumables	Russia		100
PT Lincoln Electric Indonesia	Indonesia		92
Smart Force, LLC	United States		100

Name	Country of Incorporation	Percent Ownership
Lincoln Electric (Tangshan) Welding Materials	China		100
Techalloy, Inc.	United States		100
Techalloy Canada, LP	United States		100
Tenwell Development Pte. Ltd.	Singapore		100
Torchmate, Inc.	United States		100
The Lincoln Electric Company	United States		100
The Lincoln Electric Company Nigeria Limited	Nigeria		100
The Lincoln Electric Company (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd.	Singapore		100
The Lincoln Electric Company (Australia) Proprietary Limited	Australia		100
The Lincoln Electric Company (New Zealand) Limited	New Zealand		100
The Lincoln Electric Company of South Africa (Pty) Ltd.	South Africa		100
The Nanjing Lincoln Electric Co., Ltd.	China		100
The Shanghai Lincoln Electric Co., Ltd.	China		100
Uhrhan & Schwill Schweisstechnik GmbH	Germany		100
Vernon Tool Co., Ltd.	United States		100
Welding, Cutting, Tools & Accessories, LLC	United States		100

QuickLinks

Exhibit 21