Federal Signal Corporation

Federal Signal Corporation
Public
Traded as NYSE: FSS
S&P 600 Component
Industry Public safety
Founded 1901
Headquarters Oak Brook, Illinois, United States
Key people
 Jennifer Sherman, President & CEO
Products Emergency vehicle equipment, warning sirens and public safety solutions
Revenue Increase$768 million USD (reference: 2015 10K)
Number of employees
 ~2,800
Website www.federalsignal.com

Federal Signal Corporation is a global corporation with about 2,800 employees located in Oak Brook, Illinois. Federal Signal is best known for its variety of emergency lighting, sirens, industrial equipment, and public safety solutions under brands including Federal Signal, Elgin, Guzzler, Jetstream, Vactor and Victor.[1]

Federal Signal was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1901 as Federal Electric Co. by John Goehst and James and John Gilchrist.[2] Samuel Insull later acquired the company. The company went public in 1969 under the leadership of Robert T. Gilchrist. Currently, the company has 12 manufacturing facilities in six different countries.[3]

History

Federal Signal was founded as the Federal Electric Company in 1901 by brothers John and James Gilchrist and partner John Goehst, manufacturing and selling store signs lit by incandescent lamps. By 1915, they began manufacturing and selling electrically operated mechanical sirens (such as the Q Siren and the Model 66 Siren).

During this time, Federal Electric came under the ownership of Commonwealth Edison eventually becoming a part of the utility empire of Samuel Insull.

By the 1950s, the company was manufacturing outdoor warning sirens, most notably the Thunderbolt series, primarily intended for warning of air raids or fallout during the Cold War. Many of these sirens have been removed, but some still operate in tornado siren systems. Longtime engineer Earl Gosswiller patented the Beacon-Ray and TwinSonic products, which set the standard for emergency vehicle lightbars.

In 1956, 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 1976, the company became Federal Signal Corporation.

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.").[4]

On June 27, 2005, Federal Signal Corporation announced the signing of a joint venture agreement to establish a Chinese company, Federal Signal (Shanghai) Environmental & Sanitary Vehicle Company Limited, based near Shanghai, China.[5]

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.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Our Companies". Federal Signal. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Federal Signal Corp.". Company Histories. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Who We Are". Federal Signal. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Federal Signal Corporation Announces Acquisition of P.C.S. Company".
  5. ↑ "Federal Signal Corporation Announces Establishment of Federal Signal Environmental & Sanitary Vehicle Company, Ltd".
  6. ↑ "Federal Signal Executes Agreement to Acquire Joe Johnson Equipment". PR Newswire. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
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