About Whelen
- WHO THEY ARE
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It all started in a garage in 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon.
A privately owned company, Whelen, has experienced positive growth for more than six decades. The pride and commitment of its workforce, whose employment longevity averages over 22 years, is rewarded through a profit-sharing plan established by the Whelen family when the company was founded.
The development of the first aviation light helped Whelen enter the automotive safety lighting industry. Whelen currently provides safety lighting for Police, Fire, EMS and DOT professionals as well as many other industries. The production volumes in the automotive sector have allowed Whelen to invest in the latest automated assembly equipment in order to compete worldwide. Last year, Whelen purchased over 44 million LEDs for use in their extensive family of products.
In the 1970s, Whelen introduced the Outdoor Warning Siren – totally electronic and capable of producing not only warning tones but also high-powered voice messages. The Mass Notification Division has saved lives around the world.
- WHELEN CORPORATE CAPABILITIES
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The goal of Whelen Engineering is to bring innovative, life-saving products to market more quickly, while maintaining strict quality control throughout the process. It has accomplished this through a vertical manufacturing initiative to eliminate or reduce outsourcing, the use of robotics and state-of-the-art production equipment, and perhaps most importantly, a motivated workforce of over 1,500 employees. This allows Whelen Engineering to meet and adapt to its customers’ changing needs in the shortest amount of time.
Whelen capabilities include:
- Two manufacturing facilities totaling over 800,000 square feet
- The largest staff of design engineers in the industry
- A robust research and development program
- Partnerships with OEMs for new vehicle design and product integration
- Plastics injection molding machines from 30- to 2,000-ton capacity
- In-house plastics, hard coating, metallizing and sheet metal fabrication
- On-site test lab for environmental dust, moisture, vibration, and more
- Acoustic anechoic sound chamber for audio testing
- Industry certifications, including SAE, AMECA, and FAA
- Technical personnel training at the factory training center
- A worldwide network of training and service personnel
- MANUFACTURING
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Design and Engineering
The largest staff of design engineers in the industry. Many of Whelen engineers are fire volunteers and EMTs. They know first-hand the critical need for innovative, life-saving products.
Injection and Vacuum Molding
1,600 molds, 38 molding machines – from 30- to 2,000-ton capacity, 20 million parts produced yearly. Vacuum machines produce irregularly shaped components not suitable for injection molding.
Electronics Manufacturing
Surface mount and through-hole circuit boards are manufactured, assembled, and tested in-circuit.
Fabrication
Laser cutting and drilling enable the creation of robotic bending cells for stand-alone operation. All machine parts are produced and maintained by automated production machine shops in New Hampshire and Connecticut.
Finished Processes
Hard coating of lenses and powder coating of housings makes the products resistant to weather and abrasion. Metallizing reflectors add reflectivity and help prevent corrosion and oxidation.
Production Machine Shop
State-of-the-art milling machines, CNC lathes, and screw machines make the precision parts required for Whelen products.
Quality Control and Testing
Strict quality control is maintained throughout the manufacturing process. Certified on-site test labs facilitate product development and shorten lead times.
Service and Training
Authorized service facilities are located around the globe. Training is available not only at the Chester, CT, training facility, but also at sites around the USA. All Whelen authorized technicians return to the plant several times a year for new product introductions and advanced training.