Our History

1950 - Introduction of "The Mansfield Line"

In 1950, Edward M. Smith (shown right) designed a small non-corrosive centrifugal pump while employed at Barnes Manufacturing in Mansfield, Ohio. Ed believed this new pump fit a need in the appliance industry for dishwasher and washing machine drain pump applications. Increasingly stronger detergents were destroying the die-cast zinc pumps presently being used at the market. Ed’s pump design was revolutionary for the time as it was manufactured completely of plastic and rubber materials which were inert to chemical attack of the detergents. However, when Ed presented his new design to Barnes management, they rejected undertaking the venture.

Disappointed but not deterred, Ed, and a fellow Engineering/Sales employee from Barnes, Horace Montgomery, took the design and presented it to J.C. Gorman and Herbert Rupp across town at The Gorman-Rupp Company (GRC). Gorman and Rupp liked the idea and decided to finance the men, as well as, give them a small work area within their Bowman Street facility. The operation was geared towards making large industrial engine-driven pumps, not small washing machine pumps that could fit in your hand but, it was a start.

1952 - The Mansfield Line

In 1952, Ed and Horace received their first order and pump production began. The Hotpoint Division of General Electric Company placed a continuing order for the little drain pumps. In the beginning, cartons and brochures were printed with a black shield that read “Pumps” along with a green banner overlay that read “The Mansfield Line”. Soon thereafter, many of the major appliance companies of the time, such as, Mullins, Youngstown Kitchens, and Apex were using Ed’s little drain pump.

To everyone but those directly involved in the project, the Mansfield Line was a surprising success. Production requirements quickly exceeded the small physical allotment of the Bowman Street operation. Furthermore, G.E., already a GRC customer, requested the Mansfield Line pumps be manufactured at a separate facility due to concerns that a power failure could halt their order production, entirely.

1953 - The First Gorman-Rupp Company Division

In 1953, Gorman found a small piece of land between the Clearfork River and B & O Railroad in Bellville, Ohio (about 10-miles South of Mansfield), on which to build the new manufacturing facility. The original building was a Quonset-hut measuring 160 x 60 feet, housing factory, office and warehouse facilities. While the building was being constructed, Gorman-Rupp incorporated Gorman-Rupp Industries as the first division of The Gorman-Rupp Company.

On January 4th, 1954, production at the Bellville facility began dedicated solely to the production of small pumps. Shown here is the first shipment of Mansfield Line pumps manufactured at GRI leaving for G.E.

• H.M. Montgomery – Vice President and General Manager
• Edward M. Smith – Vice President and Director of Engineering
• Frank B. Grudgings – Production Manager
• Robert Jefferson – Sales Manager
• Gerald Hopkins – Plant Superintendent

• J.C. Gorman – Chairman of the Board
• H.E. Rupp – President
• Warren E. Rupp – Vice President
• James C. Gorman III – Secretary
• Carl R. Rupp – Treasure

Gorman-Rupp Industries Today

Today, GRI continues to operate manufacturing, sales and warehousing on the same grounds scoped out by James Gorman over 50-years ago. However, much has changed in that time. Through several renovations, the structure has been expanded from its original 9,600 square feet to approximately 98,000 square feet or 2.2 acres under roof.

Product Innovation Through the Years

1950: GRI is born with the Mansfield Line, producing the first Centrifugal pump for the appliance market.
1953: GRI moves to Bellville, Ohio to focus on small pump manufacturing.
1970: Debut of the revolutionary Bellows pump for highly accurate, long-life metering.
1971: GRI designs the self-priming, seal-less, economical Oscillating pump.
1977: Magnetic drive pumps enter the market with unique curved vane for hydraulic efficiency.
1981: GRI manufactures Column pumps for immersible applications.
1984: The easy-to-service economical Peristaltic pump is developed.
1989: Compact Bellows pump introduced for applications with low discharge pressures.
1990: Introduction of the plastic Mini-Bellows line for low flow, low pressure metering applications.
1991: Design for the Piston Diaphragm pumps for transferring micro-liter flows at low discharge pressures.
2002: Introduction of the Oscillating Diaphragm pump as an alternative for Peristaltic pumps, offering long life and a unique duckbill/umbrella valve.
2003: GRI marks 50 years of business, our future growth positioned to focus on superior fluid design and engineering.