Fisher Controls International LLC
A Chronological History

INTRODUCTION:

Fisher Controls International LLC is now a member of the Emerson Process Management family of companies which is a division of Emerson. Becoming part of this new corporation is the latest in the long history of growth and change for the control valve manufacturing company founded as the Fisher Governor Company in 1880.

The chronological history that follows summarizes how one of the giants of the process control industry got its start and established a leadership position in the competitive, global marketplace of today.


CHRONOLOGY:

1880 - William Fisher invents the Type 1 constant pressure pump governor in Marshalltown, Iowa.

1888 - The Fisher Governor Company incorporates on December 26 with a total of $30,000. Early employees ran belt-powered machines to the light of tallow candles for $13-a-week. The first product catalog was hand-written.

1906 - Founder, William Fisher, dies. His wife, Martha, becomes president. A vertical actuator, steam traps, and back pressure valves are added to the product line.

1912 - Jasper Fisher (son of William and Martha) assumes presidency of the company, establishes first sales offices. Annual sales are $60,000.

1918 - Draftsmen complete Fisher's first detailed product drawings. By 1919, the Engineering Department accumulates a total of 548 drawings.

1928 - The company builds its first test laboratory and, with the development of the first authoritative capacity and sizing data charts, Fisher establishes its reputation as the company with the most complete and accurate specification charts available.

1935 - Fisher hosts its first sales meeting in Marshalltown. Fisher supports sales Representatives in 44 cities in the United States and Canada and in 15 countries.

1937 - Serial number 500,000 assigned to a Type 1 pump governor on November 5.

1938 - Jasper Fisher dies.

1940 - Fisher installs its first Western Union teletype machine to speed communication with sales offices. Fisher purchases its first two company (delivery) trucks. J.W. (Bill) Fisher (son of Jasper and Edna) joins the Fisher Governor Company in the finance department.

1943 - One millionth serial number assigned to pump governor on June 9.

1944 - Fisher employees are awarded the Army-Navy "E" flag for outstanding production during World War II. Edna (Mrs. J. H.) Fisher becomes president. Vice President, Bill Fisher, establishes a strong board of directors, changing the management style of the company.

1946 - Sales department holds its first school for field Representatives, Fundamental Principles of Pressure Regulators. More than twenty sales engineers attend the eight-day school conducted in Marshalltown. Fisher forms its 25-Year Club for employees and retirees with 25 years service. Fisher introduces Teflon™ packing to lower valve stem friction and improve performance of smaller actuators.

Teflon is a trademark of E.I. DuPont.

1949 - Fisher's engineering staff grows to eleven design engineers and nine draftsmen. Six employees aid their efforts in the printing and photostat department.

1950 - Two-millionth controller made. Fisher enters licensee agreement with Elliott Automation to manufacture products for England and Europe. Bill Fisher and the Board of Directors establish the Fisher Governor Foundation, a charitable, non-profit organization that improves the cultural, civic, educational, and charitable well-being of Marshalltown. The “Gramma Fisher” Foundation supports the arts.

1951 - Fisher's first mobile display unit hits the road.

1952 - Original Fisher factory building torn down.

1954 - Edna (Mrs. J.H.) Fisher retires; Her son, J. W. (Bill) Fisher, is elected president of the Fisher Governor Company with annual sales of $3.5 million and 1200 employees. The large turret lathe department initiates an incentive pay plan.

1955 - First ex-U.S. plant opens in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. New office building opens in Marshalltown.

1957 - Continental Equipment Company (butterfly valves) of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, joins the Fisher family, adding rotary valves to the product range. Fisher Governor common stock was offered to the public at $12.50 per share. Six employees began production in the Woodstock, Ontario, plant.

1958 - Supermarket stock evolves, giving customers 36-hour delivery service from standard-product stock. The Fisher Community Center in Marshalltown is dedicated. Fisher introduces an electronic liquid level transmitter.

1959 - Fisher uses a zyglo treatment for detecting cracks in metal components. Today, we use advanced tools and techniques such as laser optics, electron microscopes, and electro magnetics.

1960 - Fisher adds ball valves to its product line. Fisher finalizes a licensing agreement to manufacture valves in Japan.
The Representatives' committee forms as the official voice of the field sales organization to the company. Fisher began using computers to solve engineering problems, computer-aided drafting, and numerically-controlled machines.

1961 - Factory opens in Monterrey, Mexico; Operations there move to Toluca in 1965.

1962 - Numerically controlled machine tools help achieve breakthrough in machining efficiency and quality.

1963 - Fisher introduces throttling V-Ball valves.

1965 - LPG and natural gas regulator department product lines (manufacturing operation) move from Marshalltown to McKinney, Texas.

1967 - The Governor Road manufacturing facility, the most advanced machine shop of its kind in the world, begins operation in Marshalltown. The Fisher Governor Company is listed on the American Stock Exchange.

1969 - Monsanto buys Fisher, changes name to Fisher Controls Company and begins to manufacture electronic instrumentation (ac2). Annual sales totalled $65 million with 3,000 employees worldwide. Tom Shive is named President. Bill Fisher remains as Chairman of the Board until 1974. Annual sales were $72 million. A joint venture, Nippon-Fisher, was formed in Japan to manufacture and sell Fisher valves and regulators in the far east.

1970 - Fisher opens its first European facility in Cornwall, England, to manufacture electronic instrumentation (ac2). Fisher-Marshalltown develops valve noise prediction and abatement technology, including Whisper and Cavitrol trim options. Fisher introduces Easy E cage-guided and Fishtail Disc butterfly valves. On February 10, Fisher-Marshalltown broke ground for the R. A. Engel Technical Center. Named for Ray Engel, the motivating force behind Fisher research and development during his 39 years with the company. Every product developed since 1930 reflected his quality standards.

1971 - Fisher receives the industry's first N-stamp certification to manufacture nuclear valves. Fisher adds digital control systems (dc2) to its product line. Bill Fisher is named to Monsanto Board and served until January 1983.

1972 - The R. A. Engel Technical Center is completed and houses the world's most advanced flow test laboratory. The Fisher Service Company establishes it first center in Gonzales, Louisiana, and announces plans to open four more repair and service facilities in the U.S. by 1979.

1974 - Nippon-Fisher opens a new manufacturing plant in Japan.

1975 - A new electronics manufacturing facility opens in Marshalltown and the R.A.Engel Tech Center doubles in size. Milwaukee Die Casting joins Fisher.

1976 - The Sherman, Texas facility begins producing a new line of rotary valves, featuring tight shutoff capabilities. Fisher opens a manufacturing plant in Brazil.

1979 - Fisher Controls and portions of the General Electric Company of the United Kingdom unite. The new corporation, Fisher Controls Corporation of Delaware, forms a stronger manufacturing, sales and service system for our products worldwide. Combined sales were $497 million. Ed Bauer was named Chairman, President, and CEO. Nippon-Fisher factory in Japan doubles in size.

1980 - Fisher introduces the PROVOX, micro-processor based distributed control system. The company celebrates a Century of Control. By 1980, the company had more than 200,000 engineering drawings detailing our products for manufacture all over the world.

1981 - Company name changes to Fisher Controls International reflecting a commitment to worldwide process control. Annual sales were $650 million. A manufacturing rationalization and consolidation program began in Europe. Fisher enters into an agreement to form a joint-venture manufacturing and service center in Saudi Arabia. Plants in McKinney, Texas, and Toluca, Mexico, double in size. Marshalltown's Governor Road machine shop adds a plating and painting area.
Three new service centers were approved in the United Kingdom. Plans implemented for PROVOX staging facilities in Austin, Texas; Cambridge, Ontario, Canada; and Leicester, England.

1982 - Robert Flynn was named President and Chief Executive Officer, and Arthur L. French was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating officer.

1984 - Fisher signs an agreement to acquire Posi-Seal International, a manufacturer of high-performance butterfly valves.
Fisher opens a new Electronics Technology center in Austin, Texas. Fisher establishes a Representative (Lumax) in Taiwan.

1985 - Fisher opens a new facility at Strood, Rochester, Kent, England. Robert Flynn succeeds Earle Harbison as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Following an extensive internal study of organization effectiveness, Fisher adopts a new global structure for the company involving Strategic Business Units. The Education Center in Marshalltown trains more than 2000 students. Monsanto announces plans to invest $100 million in process control business.
Fisher establishes Representative offices in Helsinki, Finland, and Caracas, Venezuela.

1986 - Fisher Controls opens its facility in Leicester, England for PROVOX instrumentation manufacturing, engineering, sales/marketing, research/development, services and training. More than 650 people attend Austin Operation Center's open house.

1987 - In September, Fisher and Monsanto Boards approve the acquisition of EXAC Corporation, a manufacturer of Coriolis-based mass flowmeters in California. Factories in Strood, England; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Woodstock, Ontario, Canada implement continuous or cellular manufacturing concepts. Austin celebrates Zero-Defects Day on June 5, 1987. Fisher establishes Representative offices in Australia. North American field offices (Representatives) begin Quality Improvement Process (QIP) training.

1988 - Fisher introduces the UNIVOX control center. Marshalltown PWB (printed wiring board) assemblies/manufacturing moves to Leicester, England, and Austin, Texas. Marshalltown adds a Customer Demonstration area to its main office building. Canadian Representative, Spartan Controls, celebrates its 25th year in business.
A computer link between Woodstock and Marshalltown sites enables Representatives to enter orders over the Order Processing System (OPS). Control Associates opens Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) center in New York.
First parts ship from Fisher FAST service warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee.

1989 - Fisher introduces Type S400 house service regulator. John H. Carter opens regional training center. R. G. Read opens CIM center in Minneapolis. Ten-Step quality process begins at Fisher-Austin site. Asia Pacific hosts regional sales conference; 100 participants from 21 countries. Nippon-Fisher employees in the Tokyo office and Sakura factory got the day off to celebrate the company's 20th year in business. Fisher-Marshalltown launches valve sizing program. Fisher initiates "quality partnering" relationships with engineering contractors and suppliers. Fisher-Marshalltown celebrates Quality Commitment Day.

1990 - J.W. (Bill) Fisher dies. Fisher conducts ground-breaking ceremony for new electronic systems, staging and CIM technology facility in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.Education Center releases video training packages. Fisher establishes new Representative (KOFAC) in Korea. Medway site hosts Quality Commitment day in March. Fisher hosts Conference of Excellence and Conference of Champions to honor and recognize quality improvements. Fisher Service Company opens centers in Beaumont, Texas, and Maracaibo, Venezuela. Fisher launches FlowScanner Control Valve Diagnostics and preventive maintenance technology.

1991 - Fisher Service Company centers open in Montreal, Canada; Worcester Massachusetts; and Benicia, California. North American manufacturing sites observe Earth Day and their commitment to environmental stewardship. Fisher opens new staging facility in Monrovia, California, to support large system orders from Saudi Aramco.Medway plant receives ISO 9000 accreditation to the international standards. Fisher launches re-manufactured valves program (ENCORE).
Fisher-Singapore opens Pandan Crescent facility in March as its Asia Pacific headquarters. Fisher introduces new products including three new Vee-Ball valves, AccuPressure gas tank blanketing regulators, and ROC364 remote operations controller.

1992 - Emerson buys Fisher Controls for $1.4 Billion in October; forms the Emerson Process Management family of companies. At that point, Fisher had three divisions, 180 sales offices in 75 countries, 23 plants in 13 countries, 60 service centers in 22 countries, and about 7500 employees worldwide. Larry Solley was Chairman of Fisher Controls and Bob Bateman was Chairman of Rosemount. Marshalltown, Woodstock, and Cambridge as well as Kambria and Spartan earn ISO registration for international quality standards. Fisher introduces digital valve controllers and tranducers.

1993 - The Emerson Process Management family of companies consists of eight distinct and separate divisions: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Fisher-Gulde valves, Fisher Regulators, Xomox (valves), Rosemount Measurement (inc. Kay-Ray Sensall), Rosemount Analytical, Micro Motion, and Brooks Instruments. Fisher and Rosemount share a booth at ISA '93. Emerson Process Management launches new, unified corporate image. Combined sales of Emerson Process Management was $2.3 billion.
Sherman and Austin plants in Texas receive ISO certification.

1994 - North American sales management conference includes Rosemount direct sales and Fisher Representative personnel. Valve business conducted by three groups: Fisher Controls, Gulde (Europe), and Xomox. Fisher acquires Con-Tek, Inc., a leading manufacturer of steam conditioning equipment. Fisher introduces Y693 gas tank regulator and a cryogenic valve, Design SC. Fisher develops and introduces Fisher Integrated Responsive Sales Tools (FIRST) to simplify and speed-up order processing. FRSI hosts NASA (North America/South America) sales conference in Austin, Texas. ISP Foundation completes phase one of the world's first, fully digital fieldbus field trial at Monsanto's Chocolate Bayou plant. The Fisher Regulator division acquires Francel, a leading manufacturer of natural gas pressue reducing regulators in France.

1995 - Fisher Controls’ North American Valve Division acquires H. D. Baumann Associates of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, known for their control valve innovations. Bill Davis replaces Joe Adorjan as head of Emerson Process Management process control businesses. Fisher introduces FloBoss 407 flow computer. Fisher Controls' employees use Internet capabilities and go on-line via internal Web page. Emerson Process Management family of companies named “best in service” by readers of CONTROL magazine. Emerson acquires INTELLUTION, a leading automation software company. Fisher- Rosemount adopts a “total solutions” sales approach and encourages multi-site, multi-division teamwork worldwide.

1996 - Fisher Controls introduces the Emerson Process Management introduces PlantWeb field-based architecture as a way to unite and integrate group-wide products and capabilities. Advanced technologies - including intelligent field devices, digital communications, and open systems - differentiate Emerson Process Management in the marketplace. Emerson Process Management Educational Services introduces Distance Learning technology for update or refresher training. Fisher Controls' Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) business grows, promoting preventive diagnostics and asset management capabilities. Valve manufacturing plant in Cernay, France, celebrates 30 years in business.

1997 - David Farr replaces Bill Davis as head of Emerson Process Management Process business. Woodstock plant was closed after 42 years of operation. Marshalltown Center St. plant closed after 80+ years of operation. New plant operations announced for Hungary and Brazil.

1999 - Closed Medway plant in U.K. and moved operations to Cernay. Opened new plant in Malaysia.