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About Us
Personalized Approach
With over 100 years combined experience in the industrial hydraulics field, it’s no wonder why so many companies continue to choose Hydrolec Inc. as their hydraulics manufacturer. Kim Kawasaki formed the company in 1978 under the name “Motortronics" with partners Tom Wilson and Phil Phillion and began Hydrolec’s long and exciting history; one which continues to develop every day in the new headquarters located in sunny Jacksonville, Florida.
Background and Professionalism
A little more than thirty years ago, Kim Kawasaki, CEO of Hydrolec Incorporated, had a dream. He wanted to streamline the process of manufacturing industrial hydraulics in a way that would both speed up production and reduce the cost of doing so. Rather than rely on one company to manufacture entire pieces of hydraulic equipment, he decided he would produce the driving force behind machines like industrial compactors and balers. So, with little more than a garage full of tools, Kawasaki, Wilson and Phillion got to work manufacturing small electronics: AC motor inverters, DC motor radio remotes and controls for industrial equipment such as cranes.
Company Formation
After two years of growth, it was time to expand. In 1980, Kawasaki and Motortronics bought out Cleveland Hydraulics, merged the two, moved the company to Kent, Ohio and began to focus on producing hydraulic power packs for elevators.
After a successful year, the company moved again. This time it was off to Jacksonville, Florida where Kawasaki began continued producing power packs for elevators and expanded into presses, scissor lifts, car lifts, compactors and balers. In 1985, Cleveland Hydraulics moved to Stepp Avenue, its current location, in order to expand the factory to fit demand.
Nine years later, in 1994, the company became Hydrolec Incorporated and expanded its market overseas to Cork, Ireland. Then, in 2008, Kawasaki expanded once again to Russia and created the most reliable and efficient hydraulics system in the world. Now, with a team of more than 50 employees, he is able to continue his dream in the most cost effective way ever.
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