Caltherm History

Incorporated in 1972 as a subsidiary of France-based Vernet, Caltherm Corporation opened its doors in Glen Ellyn, Illinois (near Chicago) to distribute diesel thermostats in the North American market.

In 1976 Caltherm opened a 12,000 square foot plant with 30 employees in the hometown of Cummins Engines, Columbus, Indiana, in order to supply thermostats for engine cooling systems to the diesel engine industry.

Just four years later, Vernet and its subsidiary, Caltherm, were both acquired by the American holding company, Magnum Corporation (USA).

By 1984 Caltherm's operations required an expansion of an additional 12,000 square feet, which included additional office space and a quality assurance lab. The expansion allowed Caltherm to become the leading supplier of thermostats to the heavy-duty diesel engine industry over the next ten years.

In 1987 Caltherm sought the ability to expand its products offerings, which led to the purchase of the wax division of Dayton, Ohio's Vernay Labs. As a result, Caltherm acquired more than 3,000 wax formulations and the knowledge to blend and create wax formulations for new thermostatic applications. Today, the wax actuator represents the most cost-effective approach to thermostatically controlled valves for diesel and automotive applications.

The following decade took Caltherm international when it formed a foreign joint venture with Caltherm Thermostats in India, creating Caltherm Thermostat Private LTD. The agreement allowed Caltherm USA to supply thermostats to the growing diesel and automotive industries in India.

In 1992 another facilities expansion was required to accommodate Caltherm's growing business. New administrative offices and an additional 17,400 square feet of plant space brought Caltherm's Columbus, Indiana operations to more than 41,000 square feet. In addition to the plant expansion, Caltherm had also expanded its product offerings to include oil, check and pressure relief valves.

The new millennium brought continued expansion for Caltherm. First in 2003 when it purchased the thermostat operations of Eaton Corporation, allowing Caltherm to become a major marine industry supplier of thermostats for outboard and stern-drive engines. Then a move to a new state-of-the-art, 80,000 square foot facility just a half mile from its headquarters for more than 30 years. Rounding out the decade in 2010, Caltherm procured the thermostat assets of Cooper Standard Automotive, a move that increased its market position in the marine industry of thermostats for stern-drive engines, further strengthened its position in the agriculture heavy-duty diesel engine market and allowed entrance to the automotive market.

Today, Caltherm continues its nearly 30-year tradition of providing excellent service to a growing list of customers that includes several different markets worldwide.