Akron History

B.F. Goodrich Rubber company employees in 1918 formed the Akron Brass Manufacturing company with the intent of producing couplings for the rapidly growing rubber lined fire hose market.

Production began in a leased portion of an American cereal company building in Akron, Ohio. Demand for their products was instantaneous and the company quickly outgrew the leased quarters and found it necessary to relocate to Wooster, Ohio.

The company continued to grow and prosper and in 1935 high demands for additional expansion capital forced the management to incorporate. Constant improvement in the products and plant methods resulted in rapid growth in sales and profits throughout the years.

In 1959, sales exceeded all previous records for sales and profits and saw the establishment of two new divisions, Akron Manufacturing (Canada) Ltd. in Aylmer West, Ontario, began the manufacture of the standard line of fire equipment, and Akron couplings, Riceland, Ohio, began to produce fittings for the petroleum and aircraft industry.

On May 21, 1962, Akron Brass merged into the Premier Industrial Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio. Under Premier, continued growth of sales and profits resulted in the increased need for manufacturing capacity and the facilities were expanded by the addition of 24,000 square feet on Spruce Street and 42,000 square feet on Old Mansfield Road.

In 1996 Premier Industrial merged with Farnell PLC of the United Kingdom to become Premier Farnell PLC.

Today, Akron Brass is considered the world's largest and finest producer of fire fighting equipment and enjoys an excellent reputation for the development and manufacture of quality products. In March of 1997 Akron Brass became an ISO 9001 Registered Company.

Through two acquisitions, Akron Brass expanded its product range to include scene lighting, junction boxes, reels, hand tools, warning lighting, general vehicular lighting, and multiplexing.  In 2004, Akron acquired the former GFE Manufacturing in Washington, Illinois and then in 2005, Akron acquired the former Weldon Technologies in Columbus, Ohio.

Akron Brass has the management and research capability to maintain its position of leadership in its industry. Akron Brass will continue in the future, as it has in the past, improving old products and developing new products to meet the demands of the fire service.