Ametek-Us Gauge Division history

By March 1930, several months after the stock market crash, AMETEK's predecessor, the Manhattan Electric Supply Company, had fallen into bankruptcy, and stockholders decided to establish a new company in which the Manhattan electric firm would be included.

One year after AME's formation, the Manhattan Electric Supply Co. proved to be ill-fitted to the group and was sold by the end of 1931.

By 1932, the worst year of the Depression, AME began to show a slight profit, reporting overall assets of nearly $5 million.

One of those selected was the East Moline branch of AME, which in 1941 converted its production towards the war effort, turning out laundries for ships and fans for tanks.

Mumford, having guided the company through tough times, stepped down as president in 1948 and was replaced by the energetic, younger John C. Vander Pyl.

Trout Mining of Montana had been divested in 1958, and with the additions of United States Gauge and Lamb Electric, the company was producing a wide variety of precision components and electric motors for small appliances.

By 1980, sales had reached $400 million, and three years later, AMETEK for the first time made it into the rankings of the Fortune 500 companies, with a reputation as a manufacturer of highly advanced products and materials.

In 1988, stockholders approved a major restructuring of AMETEK, which resulted in the divestment of a dozen unrelated industries.