American manufacturing grows every day thanks to the people willing to teach it. We saw exactly that when the AEM Manufacturing Express rolled into Cleveland, Ohio, and visited Lincoln Electric, a company whose logo we have seen on factory floors across the country.
Lincoln Electric is a leader in welding, cutting, and industrial technology. Manufacturers across agriculture, construction, utilities, transportation, and many other industries rely on Lincoln Electric equipment and solutions to build and maintain essential products and infrastructure.
“You could probably reach around you and find something that’s welded together, cut, or fabricated,” said Mark R. Fisher, Portfolio Manager, Heavy Industrial Equipment.
That impact is far-reaching and an enormous source of pride at Lincoln Electric. It was on full display during the Manufacturing Express event, where over 200 employees from different departments gathered outside to play games, win prizes, and celebrate the people who support American manufacturing.
Lincoln Electric has been around for over a century. John C. Lincoln founded the company in 1895 with $200 and an electric motor of his own design. His younger brother, James F. Lincoln, joined the company in 1907, and Lincoln Electric introduced its first welding set in 1909.
Today, Lincoln Electric operates 71 manufacturing and automation facilities across 20 countries and serves customers in over 160 countries.
The company has also expanded its portfolio into electric vehicle charging solutions through its Velion® DC fast charger platform. Velion chargers build on Lincoln Electric’s longstanding expertise in industrial-grade, high-power electronic equipment.
“We’ve kind of taken it full circle from how the company started,” said Mark R. Fisher, Portfolio Manager, Heavy Industrial Equipment.
Everything points toward a purpose Lincoln Electric keeps posted on the wall: to be the essential link that helps customers build better. Underneath that purpose is a principle that comes before any product.
“Everybody comes to work, and you need to go home how you came to work,” said Fisher. “You need to go home in one piece.”
Lincoln Electric also invests in the future of the manufacturing workforce through welding education and technical training. The Lincoln Electric Welding School opened in 1917 and is recognized by the company as the longest-operating welding school in the world.
The school serves individuals, educators, unions, customers, and Lincoln Electric employees. Its training extends beyond welding to areas including robotic automation, cutting, brazing, and other advanced manufacturing technologies.
“We are training across the industry holistically,” said Mark R. Fisher, Portfolio Manager, Heavy Industrial Equipment.
That commitment has continued for over a century. Lincoln Electric’s training programs help instructors bring welding education into their classrooms, prepare workers for skilled careers, and provide companies with the technical knowledge needed to remain productive and competitive.
Lincoln Electric makes equipment and develops technologies that play a vital role in manufacturing. Just as important is the knowledge passed to the next generation through its instructors and training programs.
That combination of technology, people, and education will help keep equipment manufacturing in Ohio strong for years to come.
