The History of Beck

In the winter of 1936, Harold C. Beck made a decision to pursue his novel ideas for improving the temperature control of large industrial furnaces. He was convinced that better temperature control could be obtained by designing an automatic reset mechanism into the actuator that controlled the fuel to heat the furnace.

Full-time devotion to this pursuit meant leaving the relative security of his present employer in the middle of the Great Depression of the 30's. Product design details needed additional work, first models had yet to be made, and only then could prospective customers be approached in the hope of securing orders.

Harold Beck's conviction in his novel ideas seemed justified within the first year, when the first order for 6 units was received from the Carnegie Illinois Steel Company in Pittsburgh. In the years that followed, a patent was issued for the Beck "Triple Function Mechanism".

In those early days, the Beck Triple Function Mechanism had advantages that no other product could offer; foremost, it offered automatic droop correction of temperature in large furnaces used to produce steel and aluminum. This unique feature meant that steady temperatures could be maintained continuously, without periodic attention from operating personnel, thereby improving product quality and saving fuel.

This early form of automatic process control grew in favor among steel companies in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland areas. When the Aluminum Company of America began its massive furnace building program to provide aluminum needed for aircraft in the early years of World War II, Beck control actuators were used almost exclusively.

By 1943, much of the new furnace capacity needed by the steel and aluminum industries was installed and operating. To keep the business going, government subcontract work was sought. In the production of Beck actuators, a precision machining capability had been developed, qualifying the Company to produce Norden bombsight mechanisms for the Sperry Gyroscope Company.

By 1946, new pioneering control projects were started again by Harold Beck and his engineering associates. While continuing to produce the now widely accepted Beck actuators for automatic positioning of fuel control valves, new companion electronic controllers were developed and produced. Once again, Harold Beck's ideas were ahead of those being implemented by some of the major instrument companies. Those same companies who were fundamentally competitors bought and resold the new Beck controllers in order to satisfy their customers' requests for the improved temperature control which was now possible.

During the 50's, the Company once again furnished products needed by projects critical to our country's national defense. Over a period of years, hundreds of Beck actuators and controllers were installed in two different electronic aircraft surveillance systems that were strung across the frozen northlands of Canada.

Just prior to the 60's, Harold Beck invited his two sons to join him in the business. The complementary interests of both sons made it possible for the Company to simultaneously concentrate on improving manufacturing efficiencies, and expanding marketing efforts. By 1969, larger and more modern manufacturing facilities were required and the present Newtown Plant was constructed. Continued growth resulted in additional plant expansions in 1982, 1991 and again in 1995. Harold Beck's grandson joined the Company in 1996 as President, continuing the tradition of family ownership.

Today, the Company continues to develop new models of electric actuators featuring the latest advancements in process control. The market for both simple and sophisticated electric actuators is still expanding, giving further proof of the correctness of Harold Beck's early foresight.

In addition to the steel and aluminum industries that first used the Beck control actuators, the Company now serves 14 additional markets. What began in the steel mills of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, now includes installations with Beck control drives in more than 70 countries around the world. To keep pace with demand, the Company currently maintains subsidiary sales offices in the Midwest and on the Pacific coast, with other office locations being planned. Harold Beck & Sons also maintains a global sales strategy through the use of factory trained international sales representatives.