Miller Electric is an arc welding

Arc welding

Arc welding is a type of welding that uses a welding power supply to create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point. They can use either direct or alternating current, and consumable or non-consumable electrodes...

 and cutting equipment manufacturing company based in Appleton, WI

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. Miller Electric has grown from a one-man operation selling products in Northeast Wisconsin, to what is today one of the world's largest manufacturers of arc welding and cutting equipment.

Overview

In 1929, Niels Miller designed a small arc welder

Shielded metal arc welding

Shielded metal arc welding , also known as manual metal arc welding, flux shielded arc welding or informally as stick welding, is a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable electrode coated in flux to lay the weld...

 for "stick welding" that could operate on the electricity supplies available in rural Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 that was lighter and less expensive than the DC rotary units previously available. The first machine was built from recycled scrap steel and coil windings in his basement.

In 1935, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. was incorporated. Al Mulder, Miller's sole engineer, invented the world's first high frequency-stabilized AC industrial welder, making AC welding practical for use in factories and construction.

Miller Electric developed the Millermatic in 1971, combining the previously separate units of power source and wire feed into one unit, bringing MIG welding within reach of a wider market.

In 1993, following the death of the company's heir, Miller Electric formed an alliance with Illinois Tool Works (ITW), a multi-national company based in Chicago.

ITW

ITW had much in common with Miller Electric in terms of business philosophy, and in 1992 it had been ranked as one of the top 100 "Most Admired American Corporations" by Fortune magazine . ITW brought to Miller the resource base and global perspective needed to further strengthen the company's position as a world leader in the welding industry.

In 2002, it became the first US welding equipment manufacturer to comply with the new ISO 9001:2000 standard .