Square D is an American manufacturer of

electrical equipment Electric(al) devices are devices that functionally rely on electric energy ( AC or DC) to drive their core parts (electric motors, transformers, lighting, rechargeable batteries, control electronics). They can be contrasted with traditional mech ...

headquartered in

Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...

. Square D is a flagship brand of

Schneider Electric Schneider Electric SE is a French multinational company that specializes in digital automation and energy management. It addresses homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries, by combining energy technologies, real-time automation ...

, which acquired Square D in 1991. The company was listed on the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...

for 55 years prior to its acquisition without reporting financial loss in any calendar quarter, paying out 220 consecutive quarterly dividends to shareholders.

History

The company was founded on December 15, 1902 by Bryson Dexter Horton and James B. McCarthy. In 1903 they incorporated as the McBride Manufacturing Company. During the first decade of business, the company expanded into various other electrical products. In 1908, the company was renamed Detroit Fuse and Manufacturing. Horton, an 1895

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

graduate of the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, was credited with the invention of the safety switch, which encased high voltage switches and started the company's main line of business of circuit breakers and encased control panels. Their first enclosed safety switch was introduced in 1909. Soon after their renaming to Detroit Fuse and Manufacturing, the company adopted their famous logo — a capital " letter D" for

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

, enclosed in a square. The logo was stamped on all Square D's switches and products. The combination of an easily remembered

monogram A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series o ...

logo and their great popularity resulted in customers referring to their products as "Square D". Consequently, the company trademarked the logo and in 1917 they renamed the company Square D. Horton served as Square D's president until 1928 In the early 1920s Square D sold the majority of their

fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...

business in order to focus more on their safety switches and other safety products; advertisements with the tagline "Jones is Dead!" directed public attention to the lethal hazard of exposed electrical switches in factories. Square D hoped to capitalize on the growing concern of factory safety. By 1929, Square D merged with a Milwaukee-based industrial controller company and began producing Westinghouse-licensed

circuit breaker A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overcurrent or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow to protect equipment and to prevent the risk ...

s. In 1935 Square D began producing its own range of circuit breakers for both commercial and residential uses. In 1991, the company was acquired and became a subsidiary of

. In 2003, the Square D by Schneider Electric brand celebrated its 100th anniversary. Today the company produces several lines of circuit breakers for domestic, commercial, and industrial applications.

Gallery

File:Square D plant in Detroit.png, The Square D plant on Rivard Street in

, 1920. File:1917 square d enclose safety switch.png, A 1917 Square D enclosed 3-pole safety switch, utilizing cartridge fuses. File:SquareD SafetySwitchAd JonesIsDead 1921.jpg, SquareD "Jones is Dead!" advertisement, 1921 File:Square D 20-Amp Double-Pole Breaker.JPG, A modern 20-ampere double-pole Square D

References

External links

{{Commons category, Square D
Square D products at Schneider Electric
Electrical wiring and construction supplies manufacturers Companies based in Essex County, Massachusetts History of Detroit American companies established in 1902 Electronics companies established in 1902 Schneider Electric 1991 mergers and acquisitions 1917 establishments in Michigan