US-based Pellerin Milnor Corp. is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a commercial laundry equipment manufacturer. The company was founded by W.A. Pellerin, his wife Mildred, his son Norvin, and brother-in-law A.W. “Jack” Walsdorf in 1947. The company name – Milnor – is derived from “MIL-dred” and “NOR-vin”.
It all started with the manufacturing of 20-inch extractors in a small factory in New Orleans.
The company’s continued growth led to further product enhancements and a new plant in New Orleans in 1956. To this day, these premises have remained the company’s manufacturing centre. In the meantime, the manufacturer’s distributor network has expanded over the years and the company established a support office in Belgium in 1965 in order to strengthen international marketing efforts. In 1982, James “Jim” W. Pellerin succeeded his father, Norvin, as president of company and this marked the third generation of family leadership.
The company states that it will remain focused on improving efficiencies and developing innovations, in order to stay on the cutting edge of technology. In that respect, the firm has obtained 52 U.S. patents, with additional patents on the way. Besides its innovation efforts, the company continues to initiate sustainability initiatives, including its PulseFlow tunnel washing technology and RinSave software in washer-extractors that reduces water, energy and labour costs.
