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MILESTONES OF THE LUFKIN RULE COMPANY---1730 HESS STREET---SAGINAW, MICHIGAN
1869
Founded by E.T. Lufkin in Cleveland, Ohio. It was known as Lufkin Board and Rule Co. They
manufactured tapes, rules,
and precision tools.
1885
The Company was bought by a group of Saginaw Businessmen headed by Alfred F. Marshall, general
manager of Morley Brothers,
(A major hardware distributor in Michigan) and Fred Buck. The two
men took over the E. T. Lufkin Board and Log Rule Co., with
Alfred Marshal as financial director, Fred
Buck as general manager, and Theodore Huss as secretary-treasurer. (Fred Buck remained
in that position
until his death August 12, 1938 at the age of 80.)
1887 Started manufacturing Steel Tapes.
1890 The Headquarters was moved to Saginaw, and a small factory
was built on Hess Street. The factory
manufactured mainly Board and Log Rules.
1892 The Cleveland
operation was moved to Saginaw.
1915 Lufkin introduces spring-joint rules.
1914 With Alfred Marshall's death, Fred Buck becomes president and general manager.
1920
After World War I, Lufkin started manufacturing small precision tools.
1938
Robert C. Thompson named president. An addition was added to the plant.
1941-45 During
World War II, Lufkin received the Army-Navy E Awards (Flags) five times for its production
excellence
and efficiency.
1947 February 27. Strike settled after 142 days, they walked
out on October 9, 1946.
1950 Lewis
Barnard Jr., president. (He is the grandson of Fred Beck.)
1954 Addition to the plant. (The offices
may have been added onto, and the address changed to 1900 Hess.)
1955 Lufkin Rule grew to 1,400 employees at
the height of operation. An addition was added to the plant.
1966 Lufkin discontinues making precision
tools in November. Pratt & Whitney Machine Tools Division of
Colt Industries Inc., purchases the precision tool business in November of this year.
1967
William G. Rector, president of Lufkin and E. L. Miller of Cooper Industries jointly announce their
merger on June 1st. Lufkin Rule Co. was sold
to the Cooper Industries Inc. of Houston Texas, and
moved to a new facility in
Apex, North Carolina. Lufkin has plants in Middletown, NY; Cleveland, OH;
Madison, ME; Jackson, TN; Ponce, PR; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Barrie, Ont.
1968
The company closed after a short union strike.
1969 The Lufkin Building was sold to Erwin and Max Myers.
1985 A fire gutted
the rear warehouse of the complex on Sunday, December 22nd.
1994 April 26. A fire
was set by an arsonist, only the bricks were left and some steel I-beams.
1996 June 8.
A 16 year old boy fell to his death from a third-floor window.
1997 The State Department
of Environmental Quality began demolishing buildings in late June.
1997 August 13.
Ed Fehn removes a brick from the Lufkin Building for John Kesterson, a member of the Mid-West tool collectors association.
1997 September 12. This historic site is now an empty lot.
History of Cooper Industries
and CooperTools
From its origins in 1833
as a small iron foundry in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Cooper Industries has evolved into a diversified, multi-billion dollar manufacturing
company with a worldwide presence. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company employs approximately 30,000 people and operates
more than 100 manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Cooper Industries manufactures
thousands of quality products that are grouped into two business segments: Electrical Products and Tools & Hardware.
Headquartered in Lexington, SC,
the Tools & Hardware segment known as CooperTools serves primarily the global automotive, aerospace, electronic, energy,
general industry and DYI markets through 54 manufacturing and sales/service facilities with 7,200 employees located in North
and Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Our well-known brands have grown to 29, allowing us to service practically every
industry with products and services that are continually improved, addressing the specific needs of our global customers.
The power tools offering counts
with 17 reputable major brands like: Airetool� tube cleaners and expanders, Apex� fastening tools and universal joints, Buckeye�
material removal tools, fixtured drills & power motors, Cleco� assembly and material removal tools, Cooper Automation
automated fastening systems, DGD/ Gardner-Denver assembly equipment, Doler� advanced drilling equipment, Dotco� material removal
tools and power motors, Gardner-Denver� assembly tools, hoists and power motors, Gardotrans modular transport systems, Geta
fastening tools, Master Power� assembly, material removal and finishing tools, Metronix servos, drivers, speed controls, related
electronics and software, Quackenbush advanced drilling equipment, Recoules drilling tools and cutters, Rotor TM fixtured
and portable assembly tools, and Utica� torque measuring and testing equipment.
A total of 12 world renowned
and dependable brands presently comprise the hand tools offering. Brands like: Campbell� chains and wire rope grips, Crescent�
wrenches, Erem� high precision cutters and pliers, Kahnetics� dispensing systems, Lufkin� measuring tapes, Nicholson� files
and saws, Plumb� hammers, H.K. Porter� bolt, cable and strap cutters, Weller� soldering equipment, Wire-Wrap� wire wrapping
equipment, Wiss� scissors, and Xcelite� screwdrivers.
Historically, CooperTools has
been committed to the ongoing challenge to excel in every aspect of the business, from engineering and manufacturing to customer
relations. We are dedicated to offering the very best technical solutions and service, with a strong focus on providing application
solutions that increases product performance and our customers profitability.
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