125 Years of Excellence – Lincoln Electric’s History

Lincoln Electric was founded on December 5, 1895, in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. An initial $200 investment was used to develop and commercialize a unique, direct current electric motor for industrial applications. What started as a spark of ingenuity flickered and gained momentum. By 1911, John C. and James F. Lincoln invented and launched their first variable voltage arc welder, an innovation that catapulted Lincoln Electric into a new technology and industry that would drive its future success.

Each founding brother shaped the organization and left a distinct legacy that continues to define our culture, values and brand today. 125-years later, Lincoln Electric has become the global leader in arc welding and cutting, and is renowned as The Welding Experts^® worldwide. With the industry's leading team of experts and most comprehensive portfolio of solutions, we continue to advance innovation and deliver measurable value to our customers and their operations. We also remain true to our guiding principle, “The Golden Rule,” and share a purpose of operating by a higher standard to build a better world. By aligning all of our stakeholders’ interests through our unique, performance-based incentive management system, we continue to generate value and pursue long-term success.