Emerson Electric

1890 Founded in St. Louis, Missouri by Charles and Alexander Meston from Scotland, with financial backing from John Wesley Emerson, as The Emerson Electric Manufacturing Company, to manufacture reliable electric motors and fans.

1897 The Emerson ceiling fan was introduced, making high-rise buildings livable.

1903 Improved design of motors to a more useful ½ hp, used in devices such as washing machines and sewing machines.

1933 Moved to mass production of motors and increased the variety of fans available

1938 Won a contract to build arc welders, thereby opening the door to sales at Sears.

WWII Maker of shells and gun turrets for aircraft.

1954 Start of diversification. Over the next 15 years, acquired 36 companies including White-Rodgers, Therm-O-Disc, U.S. Electrical Motors, Ridge Tool, and In-Sink-Erator.

1973 Continued expansion through acquisitions

1976 Acquired Rosemount (process control instruments)

1986 Acquired Copeland (compressors for air conditioning and refrigeration systems)

1987 Acquired Liebert (uninterruptible power and precision cooling systems)

1992 Acquired Fisher Controls (process control valves and regulators).

1990s Further acquisitions strengthening the company’s position in reliable backup power for the rapidly expanding telecommunications industry and building infrastructure to support Internet Protocol-based communications.

2000 Name shortened to Emerson

2004 Emerson acquired Marconi’s outside plant and power systems business.

See Also

Loading...

Sources of Information

• [1] History of the company