East Penn Manufacturing Co.

East Penn Manufacturing is a private, family-owned company that operates the largest single-site lead battery manufacturing facility in the world. Founded in 1946 by DeLight Breidegam Jr. and his father DeLight Breidegam Sr. in a one-room creamery in Bowers, PA, the company began by rebuilding old batteries. It has since grown into one of the world's leading battery manufacturers with over 10,500 full-time employees, 515 product designs, and operations around the world. Its product line spans motive power, transportation, reserve power, and wire & cable, and it carries the Deka brand.

East Penn began as a dream of the Breidegam family. In 1946, DeLight Jr., a young Air Force veteran, started a battery business with his father, DeLight Sr., in a small, one-room creamery in the village of Bowers, PA. Wartime made battery materials scarce, but there was big demand for rebuilt batteries so returning GIs could get their vehicles running again; DeLight and his father filled that need by collecting old batteries and rebuilding them to new. In 1947, Karl Gasche, a former associate of DeLight Sr., joined as a partner and became vice president of East Penn, remaining so until his retirement in 1966; the name "Deka" is a combination of "DeLight" and "Karl." Over seven decades, East Penn grew from a one-room shop with a product line of five automotive batteries to one of the world's leading battery manufacturers with over 10,500 full-time employees, 515 product designs, operations around the world, and hundreds of awards for industry excellence.

A leader in many of the most important segments of its industry, with a well-established, diverse product line.

• Motive Power batteries

  Dependable, durable Deka batteries for material handling needs.

• Transportation batteries

  Power for cars, trucks, boats, tractors, and other moving applications.

• Reserve Power batteries

  Energy storage delivering critical back-up power for UPS, telecommunications, outside plant, and renewable energy.

• Wire & Cable

  Premium products, battery accessories, and custom solutions in bulk or individually packaged offerings.

• Fahrenheit battery technology

  Battery technology for commercial truck applications that helps reduce downtime and emergency repair.

1. 1East Penn Manufacturing - Battery Manufacturer & Energy Solutionseastpennmanufacturing.com
2. 2East Penn Manufacturing History | Over six remarkable decadeseastpennmanufacturing.com
3. 3East Penn Manufacturing | Our employeeseastpennmanufacturing.com