In March of 1908, the United States Electrical Manufacturing Company began building electric motors in a 4,000 square foot facility in Los Angeles, California, with 17 employees. Today U.S. Electrical Motors is a part of Emerson Electric Company, an $ 11 billion global technology company  that operates over 270 facilities and employs more than 70,000  world wide.  For close to a century, U.S. Electrical Motors has been introducing innovative new products to serve the ever increasing demands of the global market.

A history of impressive firsts has marked USEM's growth as an industry leader in motor, gear, and drive products. 1914 saw the company introduce an improved method of constructing sleeve bearing motors, by riveting the motor frame.  In 1922, U.S. Motors introduced the revolutionary Vertical HolloshaftÆ motor for the pumping industry. It was so successful in deep well pumping that the industry quickly standardized on its use.   In 1924, U.S. Electrical Motors introduced the principle of across the line push button starting for induction motors. In 1925, because of the great improvement in the manufacture of ball bearings, they were the first to make ball bearings standard on all motors.

In 1931, production of Syncrogear motors for low speed, high torque applications began.   1932 brought innovation in the form of the Varidrive motor, the first enclosed unit combining a constant speed motor with a variable speed transmission. The Right Angle Syncrogear motor followed in 1952, as well as the Holloshaft Right Angle Gear drive for deep well pumping.  In 1969, U.S. Motors pioneered and developed a custom wheel drive for center pivot irrigation systems.  1970, once again, showed U.S. Motors as an innovator in the electric motor industry with the introduction of the extruded aluminum frame motor.In 1973, development started on a new generation of Speed-A-Matic DC and magnetic variable speed drives.  In that same year the motor line was extended to 4,000 horsepower.  The 80's brought the first spherically seated, self-aligning split sleeve bearing for large motors and the first truly off-the-shelf modular motor/gear component system, with a patented locking taper shaft connection.

In 1992, US won Plant Engineering Magazine’s Product of the Year for the Premium Efficient Automotive Duty Motor and again in 1994 for the Premium Efficient 841 Plus Motor.  In 1996 Quantum Shield spike resistant magnet wire was announced to protect motors from the voltage spikes caused by variable speed drives and other fast switching technologies. The late 90's saw the introduction of the award winning Motor STATUS monitor (Gold Winner Plant Engineering) and its availability as a standard option on all large motors.

Since 1988, PL&A has stocked a broad range of USEM motors in Hawaii.  From JM shaft close coupled pump units to VHS and NEMA T-Frame you will find that USEM offers the best motor selection in the USA.