Oilgear
Oilgear Company is an American manufacturer of fluid power and hydraulic equipment, including pumps, valves, motors, meters and other components, as well as integrated systems, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1921 as an offshoot of hydraulic power work being done for Bucyrus-Erie, manufacturing a line of hydraulic presses, and successfully weathered the Great Depression, gradually expanding its product line, including being one of the first companies to use microprocessors with hydraulics, and in the early 1980s began expanded its research and development budgets to build complete computer-controlled manufacturing systems, buying only the memory chips.[1]
In 2006, with manufacturing and service facilities in about 15 countries around the world, it was taken private by Mason Wells at a cost of over $30 million.[2] As of 2011, it had roughly 750 employees globally, with units in Mexico, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany.[3] Acquisitions since founding include Petrodyne, Towler Hydraulics, Olmsted Products and Clover Industries.[4] Competitors include Flowserve and Parker Hannifin.[5]
References
- ↑ [Dinger, Ed. "The Oilgear Company" International Directory of Company Histories Volume 74 (2003)]
- ↑ "The Oilgear Company" short description at Hoovers.com
- ↑ "Snapshot:The Oilgear Company" Bloomberg Businessweek Research accessed December 21, 2011
- ↑ "Oilgear:The History of a Great Hydraulics Company" history on corporate website
- ↑ "Top The Oilgear Company Competitors" at Hoover's