Prestolite Electric Incorporated is a global manufacturer and supplier of alternators, starters, electrical equipment, and services to the transportation, industrial, military, marine, agricultural and construction industries. The company sells its products to US defense agencies, OEMs, and aftermarket suppliers under the Indiel, Leece-Neville, and Prestolite Electric brand names. The company operates production and engineering facilities in the USA, UK, Argentina, Mexico, and China. Prestolite Electric is privately owned by First Atlantic Capital.

History

1911	Electric Autolite was founded. The company produced a generator to power early day auto lamps. Original equipment customers: Studebaker Studebaker Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the... , Packard Packard Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana... , and Indiana Buggy Works.
1927	Electric Autolite acquires Prest-O-Lite Battery Company from The Union Carbide Corporation Union Carbide Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...  which produced automotive batteries. Electric Autolite's products were expanded to include: Starting Motors, Generators, Regulators, Ignition Systems, Wire and Cable Products, and Spark Plugs.
1961	The name "Autolite" sold.
1963	Electric Autolite Company merges with the Merganthaler Linotype Company and the Eltra Corporation was formed. Former Autolite phase of company becomes the Prestolite Motor and Ignition Company.
1980	Eltra Corporation is acquired by the Allied Signal Corporation.
1986	Prestolite Motor and Ignition is purchased by investors, forming Prestolite Electric, Inc.
1987	July: Prestolite acquires the Leece-Neville Leece-Neville Leece-Neville is a global manufacturer and supplier of alternators, starters, electrical equipment and services to the transportation, industrial, military, marine, agricultural and construction industries. Leece-Neville serves as a division of Prestolite Electric.-Early history:The Leece-Neville...  division of Sheller-Globe Sheller-Globe Corporation Sheller-Globe Corporation was a U.S. auto parts manufacturer and industrial conglomerate based in Toledo, Ohio. Formed in 1966 on a heritage of much older companies, Sheller-Globe grew through the acquisition of many other businesses before it was acquired by United Technologies Corporation in...  Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio. The Toledo, Ohio Toledo, Ohio Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...  operations become part of the alternator products division.
1987	July: Prestolite acquires Beech Electric Corporation and Beech Electric California, Inc. (Formed Megatron Machinery, Division of Prestolite Remanufacturing).
1987	August: Prestolite acquires RCP Machinery Manufacturing, Inc. and Megatron Industries.
1987	November: Prestolite acquires Butec Limited in Leyland, England (Manufacturer of heavy duty alternators and starting motors).
1988	January 29th: Prestolite acquires Arcade, New York Arcade, New York Arcade, New York is the name of two locations in Wyoming County, New York.*Arcade , New York, the Village of Arcade*Arcade , New York, the Town of Arcade... , facility and automotive operations of Motorola Motorola Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...  primarily consisting of electrical instruments and alternators.
1994-1997	Prestolite Acquires Lucas Electric in UK, Argentina, and South Africa.
1999	Prestolite purchases Robert's Remanufacturing in Garfield, New Jersey Garfield, New Jersey Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of... .
2001	March: Prestolite Electric (Beijing) Limited “PEBL” was established.
2004	May: First Atlantic Capital acquires Prestolite from Genstar Capital Genstar Capital Genstar Capital is a private equity firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions in middle-market companies in the United States. Genstar invests primarily in growth industries including life sciences, healthcare services, industrial technology, software and business services.Based in San...  Corporation.
2008	October: Prestolite sells remanufacturing operations back to Robert's Remanufacturing.

The Prestolite Name

The following companies have been spun off under the Prestolite name and are no longer controlled by Prestolite Electric:

• Prestolite (spark plugs) "Autolite" name sold in 1961.
• Prestolite Welding Equipment formally Hobart brothers
  Illinois Tool Works
  Illinois Tool Works Inc. or ITW is a Fortune 200 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L...
  
   of Troy, OH.
• Prestolite Wire, division was sold in 1985.
• Prestolite Battery (sold to Exide technology in Tudor, India) in 1997.

The following Prestolite divisions were sold to Ametek

AMETEK

AMETEK, Inc is a manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with headquarters in the United States and over 80 manufacturing sites worldwide....

in 2000:

• Prestolite Motors (specialty direct current motors).
• Prestolite Switch (instruments, switches & contactors).
• Prestolite Power (power systems & battery chargers).