Balcrank Today
Balcrank is one of the oldest manufacturers of automotive lubrication products. Since its beginning, providing our customers with the best products for the ever changing Automotive, Commercial and Industrial markets. Our products service automotive quick lubes, dealerships, fleet, and commercial vehicle centers. Our product line has expanded, encompassing the heavy-duty market including, trucking, municipalities, railroad, marine, industrial and mining. Our new line of Lion pumps, large hose reels, and high volume control handles allow us to dispense oil products.
On July 9, 2009, Balcrank Corporation was acquired by Linter North America, a subsidiary of the Linter Investments Corporation. Following the same traditions as our parent company, Balcrank’s manufacturing is world-class; focused on high quality, fast delivery, and excellent service to our customers.
Balcrank History
Balcrank began in 1906 in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio’s “Machine Tool Colony” as the Cincinnati Ball Crank Company. The first products produced by Balcrank were hand wheels and cranks used by the machine tool industry. That same year Balcrank became the first mass producer of starting cranks for automobiles.
In 1908, Balcrank entered the automotive industry with the manufacturing of steering drag links. The steering drag links were an immediate hit. Almost every car manufacturer adopted these drag links and for the first time, steering a car became an easy task. Always looking forward, in 1922 Balcrank entered the lubrication field. The Cincinnati Ball Crank Company got its name from the production of ball-sockets and hand cranks and was commonly referred to as Ball Crank.
In 1933, the Board of Directors voted to change the name Ball Crank to Balcrank, Inc. In 1943, Balcrank received the three-star Army-Navy “E” Award, also known as the Army-Navy Production Award. This award was presented to facilities doing outstanding war production and construction work. After the war, Balcrank returned to its roots, manufacturing aftermarket lubrication equipment.
Over the next 50 years, Balcrank introduced an average of three new products a year including the Pride series pumps, fluid inventory control systems, used fluid evacuation systems, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) dispensing systems.