Leeson Motors


	Our enthusiasm for this business has stood the test of time. It has continued through three generations of a single family devoting themselves to the manufacture of motors and related power transmission components. It began over 80 years ago with Emil Doerr at St. Louis Electrical Works, later renamed Baldor Electric, with Emil as co-founder. In 1939, Emil’s son Lee and two of his brothers founded Doerr Electric. Finally, in 1972, Lee’s sons formed LEESON Electric Corporation. Few American companies can trace their roots so deeply, and fewer still can draw upon such a wealth of electric motor manufacturing experience.
Less than a year after LEESON was organized, in a 5,000 square foot rented facility, our first 48 frame motor was tested. In January 1974, pilot runs of the first 48 frame production began in a slightly larger rented facility. About a year and a half later, in June 1975, production was moved to the present Grafton manufacturing plant. By the end of 1975, LEESON served 115 motor accounts. In 1985, LEESON acquired Unison Dynamics, a manufacturer of direct current permanent magnet 48 and 56 frame motors. The advantages of the DC perma-nent magnet motor, such as adjustable speed using an SCR control or operation from low voltage DC power sources, have further enhanced the LEESON line. In 1988, LEESON purchased Motronics Corporation, a manufacturer of sub-fractional horsepower AC and DC motors and gearmotors. Now built in Grafton, these industrial-duty sub-fractional products have expanded LEESON’s reach into markets such as business machines, data processing peripherals, packaging machinery and medical equipment, among others. In 1995, LEESON further expanded its ability to say "yes" to customer needs through the acquisition of Gear Systems, Inc., now integrated within LEESON. With the 1997 acquisition of Sandor Corporation in Sedalia, Missouri, LEESON added the capability for high-volume manufacture of commercial-duty DC sub-fractional motors. These are sold internationally under the Tru-Torq™ brand name. Today we supply over 3,000 accounts throughout the United States, Canada and the world. Our AC motor line begins in the sub-fractional frame sizes and extends to hundreds of horsepower. In addition, we produce DC permanent magnet motors through 3 HP and sub-fractional geared and non-geared motors from 1/150th HP through 1/4 HP in AC and DC designs, as well as other specialty motors including brushless DC and precision servo motors. A range of AC and DC drives addresses the expanding market for adjustable speed motion control systems. In addition, LEESON now offers a full range of fractional and integral horse-power worm speed reducers. The cast iron-housed LEESON IRONMAN™ line is manu-factured in a new multi-million dollar, dedi-cated facility in Neillsville, Wisconsin. The aluminum-housed LEESON/Hydro-Mec Bravo™ line is assembled in Neillsville from components manufactured in Europe and Neillsville. LEESON products are sold through 33 sales offices and warehouses in the United States and Canada, plus through agents and affiliates worldwide. LEESON sales offices are linked by on-line computer to the factory and to each other, for fast delivery of standard and special motors to LEESON customers.