PENN has an worldwide reputation for quality and innovation in refrigeration controls. But that didn’t just happen overnight. It’s been a century in the making, starting with industrious namesakes, the Penns.
1919
Ralph and Albert Penn, brothers from Delphi, IN, co-founded the Penn Electric Machine Company in Des Moines, IA.Its first product was the innovative Type S pressure switch, which Albert had developed to automatically operate electric motor driven water pumps.
1924
The Penn Electric Machine Company, having made a number of innovations already, was awarded its first patent, for a quick-acting switch mechanism invented by Albert Penn.
1968
Recognizing a 50-year legacy of innovation, the Johnson Service Company acquired PENN Controls, Inc., expanding its manufacturing capabilities and international business.
1986
PENN Controls introduced its first electronic modular temperature control, the System 350, a product still manufactured today.
2019
PENN Controls celebrates its 100th year of providing excellence in refrigeration controls. And they have plenty to celebrate. The spirit of innovation that inspired Ralph and Albert Penn to found their company still lives on 100 years later in product offerings.
They include:
A525 Series electronic refrigeration controllers with adaptive defrost.
MR5, a versatile, multifunction, programmable temperature control.
QREV (Quick Response Expansion Valve) and PSHC (Precision Super Heat Controller), which form an electronically controlled expansion valve.
2020-2119
The company are looking forward to embarking on our next century of innovation in controls. They are already beginning to expand into other applications beyond commercial refrigeration and HVAC.
Opportunities are available for PENN to bring precision controls to restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and the beverage industry. For example, PENN products are for the brewing industry, where temperature and humidity control are essential to the fermentation process.