Graco (fluid handling)

Graco is an American industrial company specializing in the development and manufacturing of fluid-handling systems and products. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and markets its products to customers worldwide.

History
Russell Gray, a Minneapolis parking lot attendant, founded Gray Company, Inc. in 1926 with his brother Leil Gray to produce and sell Russell's air-powered grease gun, invented in response to cold weather making hand-powered grease guns inoperable. Sales their first year of operation were $35,000. 

By 1941, annual sales had reached $1 million. They capitalized on opportunities in defense-based lubricating needs during World War II. After World War II, Graco began expanding outside of lubricant handling, developing a paint pump and direct-from-drum industrial fluids pumps. 

By the mid-1950s they had expanded to $5 million in sales and 400 employees, and were servicing fluid handling needs in a wide variety of industries. 

Leil Gray died in 1958, and was succeeded as president by Harry A. Murphy. He was succeeded in turn by David A Koch in 1962. The company continued to expand, helped by the 1957 introduction of the airless spray gun. By 1969, when Gray Company went public and changed its name to Graco, it had annual sales of $33 million.

After acquiring H. G. Fischer & Co, a manufacturer of electrostatic finishing products, sales continued to climb, reflecting an industry-wide shift in automobile painting from air-based to electrostatic technologies. By 1979, sales had climbed to $100 million.

In 1981, Graco started a joint-venture called Graco Robotics, Inc. (GRI) with Edon Finishing Systems.

Divisions

Contractor Equipment Division
Graco currently has airless sprayers, line striping units, fine finish equipment, texture sprayers, roof coating rigs, and pressure washers on the Contractor Equipment Division (CED).

Lubrication Equipment Division 
In the Lubrication Equipment Division (LED), Graco produces automatic lubrication equipment, vehicle lubrication maintenance and repair equipment, and a variety of activators and switches for the lubrication process.

Industrial Products Division 
In Graco's Industrial Products Division (IPD), there are a wide range of pneumatic, hydraulic, and electric pumps created to withstand tough finishing applications. IPD also has different fine-finish pump packages which can spray with air, assisted by air, or airless.

Main Products 
Graco is a company that specializes in fluid handling systems and equipment. They are known for producing a wide range of products used in various industries, including manufacturing, construction, automotive, and more. Some of their main product categories include:

 Fluid Transfer Systems: Graco manufactures pumps, hoses, reels, and other equipment used for transferring fluids like paints, oils, chemicals, and lubricants.
 Spray Equipment: Graco is well-known for its spray painting and coating equipment. This includes airless paint sprayers, texture sprayers, line striping equipment, and more.
 Dispensing Equipment: They produce dispensing solutions for precise application of fluids in industries like automotive manufacturing, electronics, and food processing.
 Foam and Polyurethane Equipment: Graco manufactures equipment used in the production of foam and polyurethane products, such as insulation, packaging materials, and more.
 Lubrication Systems: Graco designs and manufactures lubrication systems and equipment for various applications, ensuring machinery and equipment run smoothly.
 Sealant and Adhesive Application: They provide equipment for applying sealants, adhesives, and other bonding materials in industries like construction and automotive assembly.
 Process Control Systems: Graco's process control equipment is used for monitoring and managing various industrial processes, ensuring quality and efficiency.
 Cleaners and Sanitizers: They produce equipment for cleaning and sanitizing applications, including pressure washers, sanitizing sprayers, and more.

TOP of Graco products is:

 Graco mark 5
 Graco dutyMax
 Graco reactor
 Graco king

Markets served
Graco serves a wide variety of markets, including painting, anti-corrosion, fluid transfer, gluing and sanitary applications, automotive, aeronautic, body refinish, wood, building and construction, and marine. They distribute through a global network of equipment dealers and retail stores.

References

External links
 The   historical corporate records of Graco are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.ща
 Official dealer in Russian Federation 

Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Manufacturing companies based in Minneapolis
Manufacturing companies established in 1926
Industrial machine manufacturers
American brands