Denison Pharmaceuticals history

1925: Bill Denison acquires Cook and invents the hydraulic car pusher.

Founded in 1928 by Homer C. Denison, H.C. Denison Company has 90 years of experience serving investors.

The Cook Motor Company, however, was heading toward financial disaster as its business collapsed during the Great Depression of 1929.

Based on his hydraulics expertise--the Denison company was to go on to produce more than 600 patents during the twentieth century--Bill Denison resurrected his company, reorganizing and reincorporating it as the Denison Engineering Company in 1931.

The company continued to produce for the Military--introducing high-speed and lightweight pumps for aircraft in 1945--but increasingly turned toward the civil sector for growth.

In 1958, Denison began manufacturing pressure control valves.

Meanwhile, Denison's international sales grew strongly, and in 1963 Denison inaugurated a manufacturing plant in Hilden, Germany, and later opened plants in Burgess Hill, England, and in Vierzon, France.

Konrad C. Testwuide joined the firm in 1964 after seven years in the business.

1968: ABEX merges with Illinois Central and becomes IC Industries.

The company also launched a new subsidiary in that decade, Denison Transmission, which brought out a line of small-sized hydrastatic drives in 1975.

James A. Testwuide joined the firm in 1984 and assumed responsibility for securities clearing, custody of client assets, and safekeeping operations of the firm, implementing significant technological improvements to keep the company competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

1986: Denison is sold to Hägglund & Söner.

Hoping to bring in additional experience and perspective to the team, the firm purchased Gottsacker Investment Co. in April of 1987, bringing with it Kenny Goodman and his years of experience in the local investment community.

1991: Denison Drives is split into two companies, Hägglunds Drives and Denison Hydraulics.

Incentive then sold Denison to three private investors--J. Colin Keith, Anders Brag, and E.F. Gittes--who incorporated the company in the United Kingdom as Denison Hydraulics International in 1993.

By 1998, the mobile market accounted for 37 percent of the company's sales, which topped at $145 million that year.

Denison made a new acquisition in 2000, purchasing Italy's Riva Calzoni Oleodinamica.