Emerson Electric

Emerson Electric Co. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Ferguson, Missouri. The Fortune 500 company manufactures products and provides engineering services for industrial, commercial, and consumer markets. Emerson has approximately 86,700 employees and 170 manufacturing locations. History Emerson was established in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri, as Emerson Electric Manufacturing Co. by Civil War Union veteran John Wesley Emerson to manufacture electric motors using a patent owned by the Scottish-born brothers Charles and Alexander Meston. In 1892, it became the first to sell electric fans in the United States. It quickly expanded its product line to include electric sewing machines, electric dental drills, and power tools. During World War II, under the leadership of Stuart Symington, Emerson became the world's largest manufacturer of airplane armament. Emerson ranked 52nd among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. In 1954, W.R. "Buck" Persons was named company president. Under his leadership, Emerson diversified it's business by acquiring 36 companies. When he retired in 1973, the company had 82 plants, 31,000 employees, and $800 million in sales.