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Federal Signal history
Federal Signal company history timeline
Since its inception in 1901, Federal Signal has quietly but steadily grown into a diversified international corporation, primarily through acquiring key companies for its four principal divisions: commercial signs, alarm signals, industrial tools, and emergency vehicles.
By 1915, they began manufacturing and selling electrically operated mechanical sirens (such as the Q Siren and the Model 66 Siren).
In 1955, the company became a corporation, renaming itself "Federal Sign and Signal Corporation". By this time, it made outdoor warning sirens, police sirens, fire alarms, and outdoor lighting.
By 1961, Federal Sign and Signal had gone public, trading on the NASDAQ market.
In 1968, Federal made four acquisitions: Western Industries Inc. and Cullen-Friestedt (makers of rail bed maintenance equipment, rail-road crossing gates, and other safety devices); Aircraft Equipment Company (a manufacturer of airport ground support equipment); and Autocall Company.
Over 4,200 independent businesses were in operation by 1970, and Federal became the largest supplier of electric signs in the United States.
In fact, by 1970, the sign division accounted for 46 percent of Federal's total revenues of $59.8 million, and, of that 46 percent, the sign maintenance business brought in 13 percent.
The company streamlined operations in 1973, selling Aerol Co., a maker of wheels for its airport ground support equipment, and C. J. Anderson & Co., an elevator equipment supplier.
In 1975, Federal appointed Karl F. Hoenecke president and chief operating officer of the company.
In 1975, 70 percent of all civil defense warning systems sold in the United States were manufactured by Federal's signal division.
Under Hoenecke, Federal sold off holdings that proved slow or unprofitable, including the relatively healthy but small Western-Cullen rail division, which was sold for over $3 million to a group of investors in 1977.
In 1979, Federal established a vehicle division, when it acquired Emergency One Inc., a five-year-old Florida manufacturer that had pioneered the use of aluminum bodies for fire trucks.
Also in 1986, Hoenecke, a hemophiliac, died of AIDS after receiving a blood transfusion infected with the HIV virus.
Elgin street sweepers also led the nation in sales, and, by 1991, the vehicle unit held 30 percent of the United States market for both fire engines and street sweepers, a far greater percentage than any of its competitors.
Federal's sign group began to make a comeback in 1993 fueled by a swell in retail outlet construction and new business from riverboat casinos.
On Feb 22, 2000, Federal Signal Corporation announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of P.C.S. Company ("P.C.S.").
On February 29, 2016, Federal Signal announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Joe Johnson Equipment and the rights to the name and company.
On May 8, 2017, Federal Signal announced the acquisition of Truck Bodies and Equipment International (TBEI), making it the owner of six dump body and trailer brands, including Crysteel, Duraclass, Rugby Manufacturing, Ox Bodies, Travis and J-Craft.
The signing of the purchase agreement was previously announced on May 14, 2019.
On July 2, 2019, Federal Signal completed the acquisition of the assets and operations of Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company , Inc. (“MRL”), a leading United States manufacturer of truck-mounted and ride-on road-marking equipment.
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Federal Signal competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Electric | 1892 | $68.0B | 305,000 | 3,277 |
| Danaher | 1969 | $23.9B | 80,000 | 1,690 |
| Caterpillar | 1925 | $64.8B | 97,300 | 1,050 |
| Roper Technologies | 1981 | $6.2B | 18,400 | - |
| United States Steel | 1901 | $15.6B | 23,350 | 312 |
| Fortive | 2016 | $6.2B | 17,000 | 275 |
| Triumph Group | 1993 | $1.2B | 14,309 | 58 |
| IDEX | 1987 | $3.3B | 7,075 | 346 |
| Parker Hannifin | 1917 | $19.9B | 57,170 | 702 |
| Dover | 1955 | $7.7B | 23,000 | 323 |
Federal Signal history FAQs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Federal Signal, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Federal Signal. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Federal Signal. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Federal Signal. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Federal Signal and its employees or that of Zippia.
Federal Signal may also be known as or be related to FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP DE, Federal Signal and Federal Signal Corporation.