A New Era Begins
In 1975, a plant in Johnson City, Tenn., was purchased with the goal of centralizing the engineering and manufacturing process. By 1984, the Model 500 grease gun was introduced and proved itself as a workhorse of the industry. This introduction once again supported the fact that the Alemite brand was a strong symbol of quality and reliability.
During the next several years, the Johnson City plant would become the central location for research and design along with manufacturing and distribution. The products manufactured at this facility showed Alemite’s commitment to excellence.
In the late 1990s, Alemite introduced the RAM pump line. These pumps were efficient, quieter and more reliable than others on the market. Providing dependable operation, this new line of rugged, high-volume pumps set the bar for pump design and had other manufacturers scrambling to catch up.
Advancing Toward the Future
At the beginning of the new millennium, Alemite introduced a new line of aerospace fittings that were designed to meet the stringent requirements of SAE AS 35411, including performance tests, extensive documentation and complete traceability of materials. Along with aerospace fittings, a specially designed “Dual-Leverage” grease gun system was introduced in 2001, giving operators the ability to quickly choose either high-volume or high-pressure when lubricating grease fittings.
As the popularity of cordless tools began to rise, Alemite brought its powerful, 12-volt, battery-operated grease gun to the market, creating a new era of lubrication. In 2005, Alemite introduced the first 14.4-volt, battery-operated grease gun, making routine lubrication even quicker and more efficient.
Within the last 10 years, serious advancements in technology have aided in the introduction of two products for the lubrication industry. Alemite saw the growing demand for grease guns with more power and the ability to provide real-time tool information. In 2014, the 20-volt, lithium-ion grease gun was introduced for maintenance professionals. With its built-in intelligence, the innovative Model 596 featured a multi-function display to indicate cartridge level, battery charge level, amount of grease dispensed and several other important tool details.
In 2015, a new era in automatic lubrication was born when the Alemite 24/7 single-point lubricator was introduced. Designed to automatically supply a small quantity of lubricant to a single lubrication point on a regular basis for up to one year, these lubricators help to increase machine reliability, improve employee safety and optimize maintenance operations.
Alemite engineers continue to make advancements in lubrication technology. In 2017, the lever-action grease coupler was offered to make quick work of routine lubrication tasks. This newly designed coupler creates a superior seal and stays attached to the fitting, even when the lever is released. This enables single-handed operation of the grease gun.