Webster Pumps
1968:
Steve Orth, Paige Weddington, Gus Segelhorst, and Henry Warren started a company to manufacture a then patented product, "Rotolator Pumps". Within a very few years they were also manufacturing flexible-impeller, drill, and utility pumps in their manufacturing facility in Norwalk, California. They called this company "Flotec Incorporated". They later developed a line of all-plastic, horizontal centrifugal and vertical immersible, chemical duty pumps. The vertical immersible pumps are brand-labeled the "Marathon Series". The company grew to be very well known for its high-quality products. A few years later the water system products are moved to Elyria, Ohio to be manufactured.
1985:
Flotec, Inc. was purchased by Sta-Rite Industries, a competitor in the water system pump products marketplace. The company, including the chemical pumps, are moved from California and Ohio to one of Sta-Rite's manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin.
1988:
The chemical pump product line and staff moved from Wisconsin to Frankfort, Kentucky, where Sta-Rite had available manufacturing space. The "Flotec" and "Marathon" brand names are still being utilized for this product line.
1991:
Sta-Rite Industries corporate staff decides to divest all of their non-water related product lines and focus on their core competencies in the water pump market. Webster Heating & Specialty Products, Inc. is created as a result of a buy-out of the products being manufactured at the Frankfort facility of Sta-Rite including the chemical pump product line. The product is renamed "Specialty Pumps" as the name Flotec is retained by Sta-Rite for their water pump product line.
1995:
The product line is renamed "Webster Pumps" to fall in line with the other products being manufactured at the Frankfort facility.
1999:
The chemical pump product line is purchased by a private investor and is incorporated as Webster Pumps, Incorporated.