Eaton Corporation

Eaton Corporation Plc is a multinational power management company, founded in the United States and based in Ireland, providing solutions to its customers to manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power efficiently, safely and sustainably. Eaton acquired Cooper Industries in November 2012. The 2014 revenue of the combined companies was $22.6 billion. Eaton has approximately 99,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries.

History

In 1911, Joseph O. Eaton, brother-in-law Henning O. Taube and Viggo V. Torbensen, incorporated the Torbensen Gear and Axle Co. in Bloomfield, New Jersey. With financial backing from Torbensen's mother, the company was set to manufacture Torbensen's patented internal-gear truck axle. In 1914, the company moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to be closer to its core business, the automotive industry.

The Torbensen Axle Company was incorporated in Ohio in 1916, succeeding the New Jersey corporation. A year later, Republic Motor Truck Company, Torbensen's largest customer bought out the company. But Eaton and Torbensen were not content and bowed out of Republic to form the Eaton Axle Company in 1919. A year later, in 1920, Eaton Axle Company merged with Standard Parts. Standard Parts went in receivership later the same year and was later liquidated. In 1923, Eaton bought the Torbensen Axle Co. back from Republic and changed the name to the Eaton Axle and Spring Company.