West Bend Company
Encyclopedia
The West Bend Company was a West Bend, Wisconsin
company from 1911 to 2003. It manufactures aluminum cookware and electrical appliance
s, but also made two-stroke cycle
engines including outboard boat motors
. Art Ingels
used a surplus West Bend engine to power the first kart. The engine division of West Bend was sold to Chrysler
, then to Brunswick
, and finally to USMotor.
The home appliances unit of the West Bend Company is now known as West Bend Housewares
.
West Bend, Wisconsin
West Bend is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Wisconsin, United States in southeastern Wisconsin. The population was estimated to be 29,894 in 2008...
company from 1911 to 2003. It manufactures aluminum cookware and electrical appliance
Appliance
Appliance may refer to:* Home appliance, household machines, using electricity or some other energy input** Small appliances** Major appliances...
s, but also made two-stroke cycle
Two-stroke cycle
A two-stroke engine is an internal combustion engine that completes the process cycle in one revolution of the crankshaft...
engines including outboard boat motors
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
. Art Ingels
Art Ingels
Art Ingels is known as 'the father of karting'.In 1956, while he was a race car builder at Kurtis Kraft, a famous builder of Indy race cars during the 1950s, he assembled the first Go-Kart in history out of scrap metal and a surplus West Bend Company two-stroke cycle engine...
used a surplus West Bend engine to power the first kart. The engine division of West Bend was sold to Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, then to Brunswick
Brunswick Corporation
The Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
, and finally to USMotor.
The home appliances unit of the West Bend Company is now known as West Bend Housewares
West Bend Housewares
West Bend Housewares, LLC, based in West Bend, Wisconsin, produces household appliances such as breadmakers, mixers, coffee urns, slow cookers and woks. The West Bend Company, founded in 1911, was owned by Regal Ware Inc. but the part sold to Vernon Hills, Illinois based Focus Products Group took...
.