Established in 1936 by Carl Schultz, the Laboratory Equipment Company introduced what would be the first rapid carbon determinator to the American iron and steel industry. Today, over 80 years later, LECO continues to be a family-owned company in its third generation of leadership and is recognized globally as a leader in the development of high-quality elemental and thermal analysis equipment, mass spectrometers and chromatographs, metallography and optical equipment, and consumables. LECO established its first international office in Germany in 1967, and since that time has grown to include over 25 worldwide subsidiaries and distributors who are authorized to sell our equipment to over 75 countries around the Globe. Our on-site Compliance Testing Center (CTC) helps strengthen a commitment to worldwide excellence by ensuring all global compliance standards are met. Our headquarters in St. Joseph, Michigan, USA, is comprised of several facilities each dedicated to improving customer success, including state-of-the-art research and development centers and rugged manufacturing facilities. From stamped metal parts to complex electronic assemblies, most components for our instruments are innovated and produced in-house. Through this vertical integration system, we are able to maintain strict control over the manufacturing and assembly process in accordance with our quality standards.