Our History

Emerson was founded in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri, as a manufacturer of electric motors and fans. Over the past 100-plus years, we have grown from a regional manufacturer into a global technology solutions powerhouse.

See how Emerson's journey has unfolded...

• 1890

  Two Scotland-born brothers, Charles and Alexander Meston, see a tremendous business opportunity in developing a reliable electric motor.

  With the financial backing of John Wesley Emerson, a former Union army officer, judge and lawyer, they establish The Emerson Electric Manufacturing Company in St. Louis, Missouri.
• 1892

  The fledgling company builds its business around AC motors and manufactures the first electric fans sold in North America.

  Under new president Herbert L. Parker, Emerson develops a reputation for quality products. Net sales total nearly $60,000.
• 1897

  The Emerson ceiling fan is introduced, making high-rise buildings liveable. Ceiling fans soon become half the company’s business.
• 1903

  A design breakthrough upgrades Emerson Motors to a more useful ½ horsepower, which are then used to power countless time and effort-saving devices, such as washing machines and sewing machines.
• 1919

  By the end of World War I, Emerson’s annual sales approach $3 million dollars.
• 1933

  Joseph Newman is named president and sets out to stabilise the company’s balance sheet.

  He moves the company to mass production of motors and adds a variety of fan lines to appeal to a broad range of consumers.
• 1939

  Emerson begins construction of a new plant in St. Louis to build hermetic motors, but World War II intervenes and the plant is shifted to the production of shell casings.
• 1945

  Oscar Schmitt is elected president and leads Emerson back to commercial production.

  Despite the introduction of the bench saw and a growing defence business, sales lag and Emerson faces another critical transition point.
• 1953

  Upon the sudden death of Oscar Schmitt, William Snead assumes the presidency of Emerson until new, long-term management can be secured.
• 1973

  Charles F. (Chuck) Knight defines a new corporate strategy focused on new product and technology development, acquisitions and joint ventures and international growth.
• 1989

  The Emerson Motor Technology Center is established to support engineering and innovation in advanced motor design.

  It was the first of several advanced technology centres the company opens to support new product development.
• 2001

  Emerson makes two key moves in the fast-growing Asian markets, purchasing Avansys, China’s leading network power provider, and forming Emerson Network Power India Private Ltd.
• 2004

  Emerson named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Business Ethics magazine.
• 2007

  Emerson strengthens its network power and storage solutions businesses with the acquisition of, respectively, Motorola’s embedded communications computing business and Lionville Systems, a leading manufacturer of point-of-care carts for healthcare facilities.
• 2015

  Emerson’s celebrates its 125th Anniversary by launching “I Love STEM,” an advertising, marketing and social media campaign to encourage greater interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.
• 2022

  Emerson makes some of the boldest portfolio moves in its more than 130-year history, including an agreement to sell a majority stake in its Climate Technologies business, the sale of its InSinkErator and Therm-O-Disc businesses, and the combination of its industrial software businesses – OSI Inc. and Subsurface Science and Engineering business – with AspenTech, among other strategic acquisitions and divestitures.