About Us
About Us
Innovation, Dedication and The American Dream…
In 1924, Donald Ross worked as an electrician in Western Pennsylvania bringing electricity for the first time to many residents. In 1936, Pittsburgh’s Great Flood crippled the region leaving thousands without electricity. In an effort to help restore the city’s electricity, Donald Ross began Allegheny Electric Company.
In the 1960’s, Donald Ross, along with his son Donald Ross Jr., an electrical engineer, realized a need to bring safety to the manufacturing industry as the wiring method found in existing overhead cranes and related electrical equipment was very dangerous. Together they envisioned a design with safety insulated conductor bar and put it into production. The U-S Safety Trolley Span Guard System was born and quickly became the industry standard.
Two new systems, Tri-bar and Four-Bar, were created in the 1970’s because the owners saw a need to create a product that could power cranes and related electrical equipment safely, but would also allow manufactures to use lower amperes, create curved runs without joints in the conductor, and was less expensive – yet just as durable as the other product.
Always an innovative leader, Donald Ross Jr. saw a need for supplying power to stationary equipment and invented a product that would allow power or an electric plug to be placed directly into the busway. After extensive research and testing, Track Busway was introduced in 1988.
Five years later, with sales continuing to grow at a steady pace, U-S Safety Trolley had outgrown their facility. Because of the company’s commitment to quality and determination to keep up with the demand of production; a move was made to a larger facility located in near-by Bridgeville, PA, ensuring that U-S Safety Trolley would stay true to their customers’ needs.
In 1996, because the company had grown and broadened its product lines beyond trolley conductor systems, the company changed its name to Universal Electric Corporation (UEC) and created two separated divisions – U-S Safety Trolley and STARLINE Track Busway.
On September 17, 2004, Universal Electric Corporation faced its greatest challenge when nature threatened the 80 year old business. After an intense storm, flood waters rose covering the offices in more than two feet of water and more than 12 feet in the secondary building. Products and material losses were enormous and the effects on the operation were devastating.
However, thanks to the unselfish help, sacrifice and dedication of UEC’s employees, clean-up was rapid and down-time was held to a minimum! The team work of the owners and employees and the sense of “family” they all share brought on unprecedented team work. By day two, production was up-and-running, and customer orders were being fulfilled!
Because of innovation, determination and The American Dream… UEC was able to turn what could have been ruin for a company into a positive – and against the odds continued to grow. Once again, UEC outgrew its home and in 2005, the owners broke ground for a new 85,000 square foot facility housed on over 17 acres of land. The structure is designed with the most advanced means of operation and technology to better serve our customers and was build so there is even more room to grow.
Today, UEC offers flexible power solutions that will fit any business’ needs. Our U-S Safety Trolley division provides the most reliable, highest quality conductor system on the market and is the ultimate system for cranes, hoists and moving equipment where problems and downtime cannot be tolerated. And, our STARLINE Track Busway offers a broad selection of product, ranging from 40 amp to 400 amp busway, that will meet all of your electrical power distribution needs including commercial, mission critical and light industrial applications.
UEC has settled into its new home of 168 Georgetown Rd, Canonsburg, PA 15317 - with aspirations to continue to serve our customers with quality product, exceptional customer service, continued innovation and above all “The American Dream….”