Westinghouse

Westinghouse opened their first plant in Bellefontaine in 1948

A Bellefontaine Westinghouse winding employee featured in Small Motor Division magazine in 1955

Lay out for Westinghouse Plant 1 on Carlisle St. in Bellefontaine

A.F. of L. Union members at the Bellefontaine Westinghouse plant circa 1952

Westinghouse meeting ca 1952. Photo by Hadley Studios

Westinghouse employees pictured in 1955

Westinghouse employees ca 1959. Photo by Hadley Studios

Jay Boysel checking one of the machines in the Westinghouse plant ca 1959

Westinghouse plant workers ca 1959. Photo by Hadley Studios

One of the machines at Westinghouse in Bellefontaine

Floor layout for the Westinghouse Plant 2 on County Road 11

Westinghouse 25 year anniversary celebration in 1973

Cake served at Westinghouse 25 year anniversary celebration in 1973

Bellefontaine Westinghouse employees featured in Small Motor Division magazine

Bellefontaine Westinghouse employees featured in Small Motor Division magazine

Aerial view of the Westinghouse plant on Carlisle St

Bellefontaine Westinghouse employees featured in Small Motor Division magazine in March 1980

Bellefontaine Westinghouse employees featured in Small Motor Division magazine in March 1980

Westinghouse operated facilities in Bellefontaine from 1948 to 1986. The Bellefontaine plants made fractional horsepower motors for a variety of appliances including washers, dryers, attic fans, evaporative coolers, garbage disposals and other small appliances.

The arrival of Westinghouse marked the beginning of the post-World War II industrial expansion in Logan County. Shortly after Westinghouse opened, Rockwell and Bulldog Electric opened plants employing hundreds of local workers and helping the area economy.

In the mid 1940’s, local businesspeople and officials worked hard to make Bellefontaine a viable location for industry. Max Silverstein and G. Harvey Leach financed the construction of a 64,000 square foot building on Carlisle St. in hopes of attracting a large manufacturer. Their investment paid off when Westinghouse chose their building for its new plant. J. Glenn Hill, a local insurance agent and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, played a vital role in bringing Westinghouse to Bellefontaine as well.

Westinghouse opened a new plant at 1202 Carlisle St. in 1948 with approximately 100 employees. The plant had a goal to employ over 400 workers within the first two years with 40% of the employees being women. Westinghouse chose Logan County over other possible sites in part due to the large available female workforce, and because Bellefontaine was near Lima where Westinghouse Small Motor Division was located.

The Bellefontaine plant shipped its motors all over the country, and to Europe and the Middle East. The motors were used in Westinghouse appliances and by other manufacturers like Maytag and Whirlpool.

The Bellefontaine Westinghouse plant reached its peak in production, and as an employer, in the mid 1970’s. In 1973, the plant celebrated its 25th anniversary in Bellefontaine with over 500 employees, 1.5 million motors produced and sales of $18 million. This success led the company to expand with a second plant in Logan County. Knowlton Construction was hired in 1974 to build a new 50,000 square foot plant on County Road 11. By December of that year, reduced customer requests for small motors led to the first furloughing of employees. More than 500 employees were furloughed during the Christmas holidays. Westinghouse also announced the sale of its household appliance business to White Consolidated Industries, Inc.

In 1977, with both plants in production, Westinghouse employed approximately 680 workers. At that time, Westinghouse was in talks with Iran about building a plant in Tabriz, with the Bellefontaine plants supplying the motors. However, due to the political situation in the Middle East, the deal fell through. By 1981, the market for exporting motors to the Middle East had “dried up”.

Strikes by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)took a toll on Westinghouse when business was lost to other electrical manufacturers, including one of their biggest competitors, General Electric.

The recession led to canceled orders, cutbacks and layoffs. Rumors began in 1980 about Westinghouse closing its Bellefontaine plants. By 1981, to combat the decrease in sales, Westinghouse cut back its production in Bellefontaine. This included more lay-offs and then closing the second plant on County Road 11.

A slight upswing in the domestic market for evaporator cooler motors, led to 125 hourly employees being called back to the Carlisle St. plant in 1983. However, in 1986, after 38 years of operation, Westinghouse closed the plant on Carlisle St. in Bellefontaine.

In 1985, Belletech Corp. purchased the building on County Road 11. They are still in business today specializing in automotive glass assemblies, component subassemblies and plastic injection molded parts.

Westinghouse was not only a major employer, but a key part of the community as well. The company supplied the lights for Dodd Stadium at Bellefontaine High School at production costs, helped with street lighting in downtown Bellefontaine, and contributed heavily to the Outpatient Wing at Mary Rutan Hospital. They supported the Ohio Hi-Point Joint Vocational School, city and county schools, and assisted various service clubs with either monetary or physical support. Westinghouse contributed to many other local projects during its time in Logan County.