Waukesha-Pearce Industries is a global designer and packager of engine-driven equipment which includes power generation, pumps, blowers, control panels, and switchgear.
WPI offers a complete line of the most durable, productive and technologically advanced earth moving, recycling, gas compression, power generation, small engine, lawn and mining equipment available today. We are focused on helping you, our customers, succeed with an unending commitment to total quality whether product acquisition or product support services.
Our History
We're Proud of our world-class service.
1924
The Texas oilfield boom was at a peak and an enterprising businessman saw the need for a prime mover for a small oilfield drilling rig. Louis M. Pearce, Sr. founded the Portable Rotary Rig Company, the forerunner of the flourishing enterprise that today is known world-wide as Waukesha-Pearce Industries, Inc.
1933
The future was shaped when Mr. Pearce negotiated the Texas distributorship of Waukesha engines with the Waukesha Motor Company of Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Despite the similarity of corporate identification, there is no proprietary link between Waukesha-Pearce Industries, Inc. and the Waukesha Motor Company) The company's first branch operation was opened at Greggton, Texas.
1934
Louis M. Pearce, Jr. joined the company.
World War II - The company ended its manufacture of drilling rigs and became Waukesha Sales & Service, Inc. Additional branches were opened at Dallas, Wichita Falls, Corpus Christi and Odessa, Texas and New Iberia and Shreveport, Louisiana.
1950s
Accurately predicting a decline in oil exploration activity, Louis Pearce, Jr. shifted the accent of the company's endeavors to the newly emerging natural gas transmission industry. Another move toward diversification came in 1955 with the formation of Pearce Equipment Company to market and service construction machinery. San Juan location opened 1952. Branches in San Antonio and Abilene were opened in 1955.
1962
Louis M. Pearce, III joined the company.
1967
Waukesha-Pearce Industries, Inc. was created by merging Waukesha Sales & Service and Pearce Equipment Company. The previous companies became operating divisions.
1970s
New branches were opened in Oklahoma City and Woodward, Oklahoma in 1970 and Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1974. In 1972, Pearce Industries, Inc. was formed and became the parent company of WPI and Texas Iron Works.
1980s
In 1986, WPI acquired the assets of Plains Machinery Company. A new branch was opened in Austin, Texas in 1985. In 1989, WPI acquired the assets of W. W. Williams Co.
1990s
WPI acquired the assets of Houston Heavy Equipment in 1990. A branch was opened in Beaumont, Texas in 1996.
2000s
A branch was opened in Tomball, Texas in 2004.
2011
In early 2011, GE acquired Dresser, Inc., including the Waukesha line of gas compression engines. Concurrent with this transaction, GE also performed a review of all Waukesha Distributors in North America. As a result of this review, GE named Waukesha-Pearce Industries one of two Distributors in North America, enlarging WPI's territory from seven to thirty States.
