The Beginning
It may be surprising to learn how many of today’s lubrication practices are less than 100 years old. From the grease gun and grease fittings to service stations and lube trucks, the last 100 years have been filled with innovations that Alemite has either pioneered or refined as vital components for the lubrication industry.
Alemite products have quietly been a major part of many of the world’s essential industries. Manufacturing, construction, agriculture, automotive, pulp and paper, aircraft maintenance, marine and mining industries have benefitted from the innovations introduced since its founding in 1918. It all started with a solution for a routine, daily task.
Lubrication Breakthrough
In 1916, a young man named Arthur Gullborg was tasked with the duty of lubricating the die-casting machines at the Alemite Die Casting and Manufacturing plant where his father was part owner. At the time, the only way to service the machines was to add oil into their refilling cups several times a day. This equipment was located in hot, dirty and unsafe conditions. At the end of his shift, Arthur was exhausted and covered in oil and grime. He knew there had to be a better way.
In order to improve on the messy cup design, Arthur began inventing different methods to lubricate the machines. It was through this effort that the idea of a better alternative was first conceived, utilizing a fitting (connector), hose (duct) and applicator (pump).
The fitting was hollowed out and fitted with a small spring with a metal ball at the end to help prevent the lubricant from escaping. The hose was composed of a flexible duct with a coupler on each end – one L-shaped and the other straight. The two different ends provided options when accessing a fitting, which often was difficult. The applicator would allow grease to be pushed under pressure through the hose to the application points. With this system, the bearings could be lubricated more quickly and easily.
This “pin-type” fitting and “screw-type” grease pump were the start of “The Alemite High-Pressure Lubricating System,” named after the Alemite Die Casting and Manufacturing Company where it was invented. Both father and son soon saw the benefits as machines ran better with fewer repairs or breakdowns. In 1918, they formed the Alemite Lubrication Company.
Early Growth
The diverse possibilities of this system were beginning to become apparent. Seizing on the vast potential, the father and son team approached the U.S. Army with a quicker and more efficient way to maintain their fleet of trucks. After several test applications, the system was adopted as standard equipment on U.S. Army trucks manufactured by the White Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Within months, other truck companies added the system to their vehicles. Before the end of the decade, Alemite fittings were being placed on more and more automobiles, trucks and farm equipment. The Alemite Lubrication System was quickly becoming the standard used in manufacturing and other industries. In December 1919, Bassick Manufacturing Company purchased the Alemite Lubrication Company and renamed itself the Bassick-Alemite Corporation. This new company marketed the lubrication system under the Alemite brand. With the support of this new financial and corporate backing, it was soon adopted as the industry standard.