Donaldson history

Sales were rather slow that first year, but in 1917 the company won a contract to manufacture air cleaners for artillery tractors used in World War I. Before the year was through, Frank was drafted into the Army Corps of Engineers, leaving his father to run the fast-growing business.

1918: The business is incorporated as Donaldson Company, Inc.

In 1920 Donaldson launched a second type and brand of filter, the Simplex.

By 1929, Donaldson was selling 200,000 units per year.

His N.S. Filter was patented in 1932, but by that time the company would be scrambling to come up with the funds needed to begin manufacturing the new product.

Sales to Caterpillar, John Deere, Cummins Engine, and many other manufacturers of heavy vehicles boosted sales to $465,000 and profits to $88,000 by 1935.

After Frank Donaldson suffered a stroke in 1942, brother Bob retired from day-to-day oversight of the company to become chairman.

True to their word, the three executives quit to form Crenlo Corp. in 1951.

Donaldson also diversified from within, establishing a hydraulic fluid filter division in 1975.

In 1979 the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

After suffering its first and only net loss in 1983, the company that Money magazine once characterized as a "baby blue chip" made a long, difficult comeback.

Sales in nontraditional markets grew to $129.5 million by 1990, almost one-third of annual sales.

He advanced to the chief executive office in August 1996.

In November 1999 the company acquired AirMaze Corporation for $31.9 million.