Methode Electronics Inc.

History

Year	Detail
1946	Methode Electronics was founded by William J. McGinley in 1946 on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. The company was named after an anagram of a suitable manufacturing method, the electrode and cathode of a vacuum tube forming Methode.
1951	Methode specialized in developing printing and etching techniques that permitted volume manufacturing of PCBs for consumer electronics and patented a “printed circuit socket” for vacuum tubes. Later, the company acquired PCB manufacturers, one on each coast, to support more customers.
1962	The company acquired Carter Precision Electric, a supplier of switches to the automotive industry, and began supplying automotive controls and switches.
1983	The company began producing screen-printable resistive inks for electrical sensors. This innovation marked a significant step in developing more efficient and precise sensor technologies.
1997	Methode Electronics expanded its automotive business internationally by acquiring Merit Malta Ltd. This strategic move enabled the company to produce "hidden" switches for European automotive OEMs, broadening its presence in the global automotive market.
2001	The company acquired American Components Inc. and started manufacturing Passenger Occupant Detection Sensors (PODS) for automotive OEMs. This acquisition enhanced Methode's capabilities in safety technology, contributing to advancements in automotive safety systems.
2005	The company acquired Cableco, which designed and manufactured flexible, high-current cabling systems to expand its Power Solutions Group’s offerings.
2007	Methode Electronics acquired TouchSensor Technologies LLC from Gemtron Corporation for $65 million in cash-assumed liabilities. It then began supplying home appliance OEMs and expanding its sensor capabilities.
2008	Methode Electronics Inc. acquired Hetronic International, expanding its product offerings to include industrial safety radio remote controls. This acquisition allowed Methode to enter the industrial safety market and provide advanced remote control solutions for various industrial applications.
2012	The company achieved several milestones, including establishing DABIR SURFACES, a medical device technology to prevent pressure injuries. It also acquired Advanced Molding and Decoration (AMD) to vertically integrate its painting and decorating manufacturing capabilities, enhancing efficiency and product quality.
2017	The company acquired Canadian-based Pacific Insight Electronics Corp, an electronics and full-service solutions provider to the transportation industry, for approximately $114 million to expand into automotive LED lighting solutions.
2017	The company acquired Procoplast, an independent manufacturer of automotive assemblies close to the Belgian-German border, to expand its “complex insert-molded” capabilities customer base within automotive.
2018	Methode acquired Grakon Parent, Inc., a company specializing in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced lighting systems, controls, and components for premier OEM manufacturers in the heavy truck, bus, rail, electric vehicle, and power sports markets to expand its LED lighting solutions further and enters the commercial vehicle market.
2023	Methode acquired Finland-based Nordic Lights, a heavy-duty work light supplier, for $122 million to expand its existing LED lighting and industrial radio remote control businesses.