About Porter Cable
In 1906, R. E. Porter, G. G. Porter and F. E. Cable pulled together $2,300 to open a machine and tool shop in their garage in Syracuse, N.Y. Their products were an eclectic array of items: type-forming machinery, tire pumps for autovisible-xs-inlines, gas lighters, machine tools and an old-fashioned pencil sharpener. In 1914, after marketing a line of innovative production lathes, the company began to focus its energies on power tools.
In 1926, Chief Engineer Art Emmons created Porter-Cable’s first breakthrough product: the portable electric belt sander. Aptly named the "Take-About Sander," the invention allowed woodworkers to take the tool to the work. This helped Porter-Cable define its niche: portable electric power tools.
Just three years later, Emmons launched another first: the helical drive circular saw. By packing a powerful saw into a lightweight, compact design, he created what would become the most popular circular saw design in the United States.
Over the next twenty years, Porter-Cable developed two more enormously successful products that formed the foundation of Porter-Cable’s woodworking product line: the orbital finishing sander and the model 100 router. In the 1980s, the company brought the first affordable biscuit joiner to the market, followed closely by the world’s first 12-volt cordless drill and the first electric random-orbit sander. 1992 saw the launch of the world’s first palm-grip electric random-orbit sander.
Since its inception, the company has carried on a tradition of innovation and high quality in its manufacturing. State-of-the-art CNC machining centers and motor winding cells result in the highest quality components possible. Aluminum components are carefully machined for close tolerances and surface finish, assuring proper fit and function. Critical gears and pinions are meticulously fabricated from select cut steel and then heat treated for durability. The heavy-duty series universal motors provide maximum horsepower as well as optimum balance for a smooth running product.
Today, after more than a century in the business, Porter-Cable’s product line has grown into the broadest in the industry. Among other things, the company designs, manufactures and distributes electric and cordless power tools, pneumatic tools and compressors, pressure washers, generators and related accessories for professional woodworkers, construction workers, plumbers and electricians. Hobbyists and tradespeople alike have come to trust Porter-Cable for the durability, high-quality and ease-of-use that each of their tools embody.
