Family members enjoying corn hole on the lawn at Electrocraft’s 50 anniversary celebration.
Morgan McKinniss/OVP
The balloon launch was popular with the younger members of the crowd. The balloons were environmentally friendly as well.
Morgan McKinniss/OVP
Several attendees of the event talking with Ed Swisher, who explains some of the manufacturing process and finished product.
Morgan McKinniss/OVP
GALLIPOLIS — The Electrocraft manufacturing plant celebrated its 50 anniversary on Saturday, celebrating five decades of jobs in Gallia County.
The celebration kicked off at noon with food, games, and tours of the plant. At 1 p.m. balloons were released to commemorate the day (balloons and strings were biodegradable and filled with helium to reduce environmental impact).
The plant first opened its doors in 1967 as a Robins and Meyers. Meyers was based out of Springfield, Ohio and manufactured the electric motors found in Hunter Ceiling fans. The name on the door has changed several times over the years, being sold to Reliance Electric in 1991, Rockwell Automation in 1995, and then to Electrocraft on 2006.
The plant has always produced electric AC and DC motors, some of which everyone has likely come into contact with. Hunter Ceiling fans are powered by motors built in this plant. The motors in McDonald’s McFlurry machines is also produced in the plant. Some larger motors are used in the military. The most famous motors to be made in Gallia County are the small motors used in the original R2-D2 droid from the Star Wars films.
Cheyenne Spangler, a human resources employee at Electrocraft helped coordinate the afternoon.
“We’re here to celebrate 50 years of jobs for the area and the hard work of the people that work here,” she said.
Reach Morgan McKinniss at 740-446-2342 ext 2108.
