In 2020, Peterson Manufacturing celebrates its 75th year of supplying the vehicle safety lighting market with USA-made products.
Founded in 1945 and owned by the Armacost family since 1956, Peterson says it has grown to a quarter-billion-dollar, multi-faceted corporation serving customers across America, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and the Middle East.
From its 44-acre Grandview corporate campus, Peterson now operates a 670,000 sq.-ft. facility staffed and equipped for cutting-edge manufacturing. The vertically integrated operation includes engineering and design, photometric and environmental testing, tool and die production, harness and wire manufacturing, plastic injection molding, final assembly, warehousing, sales and customer service, the company says.
That focus includes aggressive support of the automotive aftermarket as well as the OE and Heavy-Duty sectors. “We’re geared to meet specific customer challenges with speed, automated precision and USA-made quality––all at very competitive prices,” Meagher said.
In building its PM brand, Peterson has made USA quality and value the company-wide standard, the company says, and engineers products to exceed federal minimums by 25%. The company also delivers those products with a 98% fill-rate, it says.
When it comes to innovations, Kristen Goodson, vice president of product management, listed a few PM highlights: “First in the industry with our vibration-proof Vibar socket. First North American manufacturer to earn ISO 9001/QS-9000 certification. First with our multi-function Strobe & Turn LEDs for the refuse industry. First manufacturer to introduce insert-molding technology. First – and to-date only – to offer guaranteed moisture/corrosion-proof harness/lighting technology for trailers: our amazing Defender system. And most recently, PetersonPulse whole-trailer telematics, bringing real-time monitoring and alerts to driver and fleet managers.”