Peterson Spring history

In 1932 that company was absorbed by Precision Spring Corporation, which Alfred had formed upon the completion of his two-year noncompete agreement.

Peterson Spring is a proud and founding member of the Spring Makers institute (SMI). Since the institute’s inception in 1933, Peterson Spring has been an active member.

One example was Alfred's daughter Thelma, who in 1937 became the first woman to graduate from the University of Michigan's Mechanical Engineering program.

Opening a Second Plant in 1951

Within a few years the new unit began to be seen as a competitor of the Detroit operation, and in 1957 it was spun off to become a separate corporation known as Peterson Spring.

In 1969 the firm purchased a 40 percent stake in a Spanish firm, Industrias Berry.

In 1970 Precision Spring helped form a Japanese joint venture, K.P. Products, with Kato Hatsujo Kaisha.

In 1978 as well the company purchased office space in Southfield, Michigan for use as PAC's headquarters, and formed an English subsidiary, Heath Spring.

In 1981 PAC acquired Greenville Spring from Precision Spring.

In 1986 Peterson Spring Corporation was merged into PAC, Muskegon Wire was sold, and United Spring was closed.

The firm's sales rebounded in 1992, growing by 13 percent to $78.8 million.

PAC also sold its 50 percent interest in K.P. Products to Piolax in 1997.

Peterson engineers could use it to accurately predict the effects of 500 laps of racing on a set of valve springs, for example, helping the company create springs such as those used by the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500.