Company History
A Timeline of SJE’s History
Over 40 years of excellence
-
1970s
-
1975
Stephen P. Johnston registers Electro Systems as a business and begins production of the Tank Alert alarm system in his garage.
Steve Johnston showing off his products at a tradeshow in 1976. -
1977The business is incorporated and renamed S.J. Electro Systems, Inc.
-
1978
SJE’s first employee is hired.
The old SJ Electro headquarters building outside Detroit Lakes, MN, in 1980. -
1980s
-
1980An addition is built that doubles the size of the facility.
-
1981
Five employees are active at S.J. Electro Systems, Inc. An addition of 44′ x 74′ is added to the existing building.
The original version of our Tank Alert® Alarm circa 1983. -
1984-1986S.J. Electro Systems, Inc. makes INC magazine’s list of the “500 fastest growing privately held companies in the nation” three years running.
-
1987
S.J. Electro Systems Board of Directors adopts an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Construction on the new building, which is located adjacent to the old one, began in 1988. -
1988
A new building! S.J. Electro Systems, Inc. completes and occupies a new 30,000 square foot pre-cast concrete manufacturing building.
S.J. Electro added a new product line and created Rhombus Technology in 1992. -
1990s
-
1992S.J. Electro Systems, Inc. adds a new product line and establishes expertise in designing and manufacturing control panels (Rhombus Technology).
-
1994Founder Stephen P. Johnston retires as CEO of SJE. Lois Solheim is named the new CEO.
-
1997
S.J. Electro Systems, Inc. begins doing business as SJE Rhombus.
In 1998 SJE becomes 100% employee owned and expands the headquarters building. -
1998SJE Rhombus becomes 100% employee-owned and 33,000 sq. ft. was added to the existing manufacturing building. Lois Solheim retires as CEO. Laurie Lewandowski is named the new CEO.
-
2000s
-
2002
SJE Rhombus acquires Tamarack Engineering, an embedded controls engineering firm located near Minneapolis, MN.
The embedded controls team began manufacturing in 2004. -
2004Printed Circuit Board production moves from C&D Electronics to SJE Rhombus in Detroit Lakes, MN. Surface mount PCB equipment is installed and production for the Embedded Controls Group begins.
-
2005
SJE Rhombus acquires Control Works, Inc., a custom control panel facility located in Milford, Ohio.
The Suzhou, China, facility was added in 2007. -
2007SJE Rhombus increases engineering and PCB capabilities with the addition of Compucon Co., located in New Hope, MN.
SJE Rhombus opens a facility in Suzhou, China to better serve pump OEMs currently producing products in China.
SJE Rhombus is named one of the ’50 Best Small to Medium Companies to Work for in America’. -
2008SJE Rhombus acquires CSI Controls in Ashland, Ohio – a manufacturer of custom panels and on-site controls.
SJE Rhombus acquires Best Controls Co. in Clearwater, FL – a manufacturer of custom panels and pump controllers. -
2010s
-
2010SJE Rhombus develops new line of innovative products using “floatless” technology.
SJE Rhombus Suzhou receives TUV certification on the SJE Quest™ pump switch.
SJE Rhombus creates facebook page. -
2011SJE Rhombus is recognized by American Heart Association for employee wellness initiatives.
Compucon Co. begins doing business as SJE Rhombus.
Corporate website is redesigned.
Dave Thomas is named President. -
2012Laurie Lewandowski retires as CEO.
Dave Thomas is named CEO. -
2013SJE Rhombus unifies the Engineered Control Solutions businesses (Best Controls, Co., CSI Controls, Control Works, Inc.) under the new master brand PRIMEX™.
PRIMEX™ website developed. -
2014
SJE Rhombus expands from a three-year to a five-year limited warranty on most wholesale catalog products.
The theme for the 40th anniversary in 2015 was “Soaring to new heights.” -
2015SJE Rhombus acquires ICS Healy-Ruff™ in Plymouth, MN – a manufacturer and integrator of municipal control systems – and positions them within the PRIMEX engineered brand.
SJE Rhombus celebrates 40th Anniversary (1975-2015) with a company picnic.SJE Rhombus acquired the Vacaville, CA., location in 2016. -
2016
SJE Rhombus acquires MCC Control Systems in Vacaville, CA – a systems integrator and automation solutions provider for municipal water, wastewater and industrial applications – and positions them within the PRIMEX engineered brand.
Members of the EOAC got to attend the national ESOP conference in Washington, DC, when SJE won the ESOP of the year award in 2017. -
2017
SJE Rhombus is named 2017 ESOP Company of the Year by the National ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Association. Company name becomes SJE, with separate brands for SJE Rhombus, CSI Controls and Primex. SJE Rhombus gets a new logo and rebranding for the first time in nearly 20 years.
-
2018
Construction begins on a new facility in Ashland, OH, with more space than the old facility in the same city. CSI Controls gets a new logo and rebranding.
The new facility in Ashland, OH, was finished in December 2018. -
2019
The newly finished Ashland, OH, facility hosts a grand opening celebration.
President & CEO Dave Thomas cuts the ribbon at the Ashland, OH, facility grand opening. SJE announces a new purpose statement and values. New websites are launched.
-
2020s
-
2020
SJE meets the its Vision 2020 goal of reaching a $100 share price by 2020.
President & CEO Dave Thomas surprises the employee owners in Detroit Lakes, MN, with the news of achieving Vision 2020. -
2021
Audax Private Equity purchases SJE Inc.
-
2021
SJE acquires L. W. Allen and Altronex, based in Madison, WI.
-
2021
SJE acquires Ohio Electric Control, based in Ashland, OH.
-
2022
SJE acquires Horlick, based in Randolph, MA.