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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. |
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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. |