LECO Corporation

LECO Corporation
Founded1936
Headquarters
St. Joseph, Michigan
,
USA
Key people
Robert J. Warren, President[1][2]
ProductsAnalytical instrumentation
Websitehttp://www.leco.com/

LECO Corporation, founded in 1936 by Carl Schultz and George Krasl, operates its analytical instrumentation research and development, and manufacturing from its headquarters located in St. Joseph, Michigan.[3]

About

LECO develops and manufactures elemental measurement and molecular Time-of-flight mass spectrometry instrumentation, following ISO 9000 standards. The LECO trademark is an acronym of the original name, Laboratory Equipment Company. One of LECO's early products was a combustion analyzer invented by Krasl in 1957 that used crucibles invented by his employee Eugene Bennet.[4][5]

LECO carries out research in many fields of analytical chemistry including protein measurement in foods, sulfur in coal emissions, glow discharge emission in metals, multi-dimensional gas chromatograph mass spectrometry, environmental monitoring, air quality, Metabolomics, and diverse medical and pharmaceutical applications. LECO has been a manufacturer and distributor of metallographic equipment since the 1970s, and makes ceramic products for the foundry industry. LECO Corporation has sales subsidiaries worldwide.

On June 8, 1977, Robert J. Warren (1933-2022), husband of Elizabeth D. Schultz and son-in-law of Carl Schultz, and family, have become the sole owners of the company, acquiring outstanding stocks which had become the property of the George J. Krasl Trust following George Krasl's death on August 5, 1976.[6] Bob Warren was hired by LECO in 1968 and became its president in 1975. LECO became a worldwide supplier of instruments and metallographic equipment under Warren's management, and one of southwestern Michigan's larger employers.[7]

Warren was succeeded as CEO by his sons upon his retirement in 2016.[8][9]

In 2023, LECO and Cal State LA worked in tandem to launch a new chemical analysis lab. The new lab would work with both undergraduate and graduate students within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.[10]

Since 2025, the cement industry has been working to reduce carbon emissions and adopt more sustainable production methods. The LECO Corporation provides analytical instrumentation to support that transition. Its portfolio has included calorimeters, thermogravimetric analyzers, and combustion analyzers that measure factors such as calorific value, moisture, ash, carbon, sulfur, and loss on ignition in fuels and raw materials. This helps cement producers evaluate alternative inputs, monitor performance, and improve operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Company Overview of LECO Corporation". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  2. ^ Strode, Kim (September 17, 2004). "St. Joseph to get LECO land near Lake Michigan". The Herald-Palladium. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  3. ^ "LECO Corporation Renews Focus on Improving Customer Experience". Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  4. ^ G.J. Krasl, "Combustion Analyzer," U.S. Patent # 2,809,100, published 8 Oct 1957.
  5. ^ E.L. Bennet, "Combustion Analysis Crucible," U.S. Patent # 2,779,581, published 29 Jan 1957.
  6. ^ "Robert Warren Family now sole LECO owner". The News-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan. June 10, 1977. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  7. ^ "LECO Corporation | Thermal Processing Magazine". 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  8. ^ "Robert J. Warren Obituary," The Herald-Palladium, St. Joseph, MI, 26 Apr 2022.
  9. ^ "LECO's Robert J. Warren Receives Pittcon Heritage Award". www.selectscience.net. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ^ "Cal State LA and LECO Corporation collaborate to launch cutting-edge chemical analysis lab". Cal State LA Newsroom. 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ^ Ilasko, Kristian (2025-06-25). "LECO Corporation Empowers Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Cement Production". World Cement. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LECO_Corporation