Victor Equipment Company

Victor Equipment Company, one of the oldest and most widely recognized names in gas apparatus, was founded in 1913 by L.W. Stettner. Stettner, a welder by trade, suffered the loss of an eye resulting from a welding accident and subsequently set out to design and build better, safer welding products. His designs for welding and cutting torches and regulators were quickly accepted and the original San Francisco-based Victor Oxy-Acetylene Welding Equipment Company grew rapidly. Stettner's "safety oriented" designs resulted in numerous patents and firsts including spiral mixers, gooseneck nozzles, and safety regulators. In time, the company name was shortened to the current Victor Equipment Company. Victor's product line and business volume grew steadily and soon expanded capacity was needed. Victor's original San Francisco manufacturing operations were relocated to new headquarters in Denton, TX., in the early 1960's. Victor's growth following the relocation to Texas has been marked by numerous plant expansions at the Denton facility, the acquisitions of Wingaersheek, originators of TurboTorch air-fuel products, Modern Engineering Co. (MECO), and the construction of a second manufacturing facility in Abilene, TX. Victor's Abilene manufacturing facility is becoming the focal point of Victor's TurboTorch line as well as providing back-up machining, assembly, and distribution operations. In addition, the Abilene operation encompasses Victor's in-house brass forgings plant providing ready-to-machine forged parts for most major torch and regulator products.