Lempco Industries began as Lake Erie Metal Products Company in 1917 when Mr. James F. Strnad started a small machine shop to work on government projects during World War I. Following the war, the company found an ever growing demand for automobile replacement axles. From this beginning, the product line expanded to include a wide variety of Industrial products distributed throughout the United States and foreign countries.

During World War II, Lempco developed the "Hypermatic Press". It was used to manufacture defense products and ran at a high speed, capable of producing 7,200 pieces per minute or 3,456,000 pieces per eight hour shift.

The incomparable speed of the Hypermatic Press required a die set design which no one before envisioned. Lempco introduced its patented ball bearing die set in 1945. From this time forward, the stamping industry would never be the same.

The innovative ball bearing guidance system offers both stampers and die makers the following advantages over the common plain bearing system:

• Registers the die more accurately providing precision parts, longer die life and less maintenance.
• Ease of assembly or disassembly of the punch holder and die holder providing higher precision dies and reduced die building time.
• Longer stamping runs (millions of strokes) providing less maintenance down time.
• Minimizes replacement of guidance components.

• High tensile strength with glass-hard wear-resistance.
• Extremely low coefficient of friction.
• No lubrication required (This product is used widely by the food processing industry).
• Dielectric (Facilitates EDM machining).
• Excellent thermal conductivity.
• Corrosion resistant.

In 1987, continuing with its pioneering and innovative philosophy, Lempco introduced the Rotainer, a multi-directional action guidance system to rotate as well as move vertically on the post. The Rotainer possesses increased resistance to normal wear, is unaffected by high speed operation and offers precise die registration.

At the end of December 2003, Connell Limited Partnership, a Boston based manufacturer of aluminum alloy and industrial equipment acquired Lempco. Connell's wholly owned businesses include Wabash Alloys, Yuba Heat Transfer and Danly IEM.

Lempco has proven experience in selecting metals, developing designs, and understanding the details of customer needs to ensure you cost-effective performance run after run. Lempco knows what it takes to keep you competitive today, and will continue to strive to keep you competitive into the next millennium.

Lempco's Improved Capabilities

• Guide posts and bushings and all types of die springs are now manufactured in an ISO9001-2000 certified facility
• Special die sets of sizes up to 240" x 120" with or without complex machining
• Competitive lead times on special die sets as quick as 3 days (without special features and complex machining)
• Expansive distribution network worldwide