About Portage Electric Products

Portage Electric Products, Inc. (PEPI) is a major developer and manufacturer of thermal controls headquartered in North Canton, Ohio. Our thermal control products are used primarily in small motors, appliances, battery packs and similar applications. PEPI thermal controls are sold worldwide and are almost always customized in some way to fit special customer needs.

The PEPI line of thermal controls includes both creep-action (slow make, slow break) and snap-action (quick make, quick break) devices. All utilize bimetallic elements to create space-saving designs.

Our business, which was founded in 1963 is based on superior product engineering, customization to meet specific customer needs, automated production, 100% quality inspection and exceptionally responsive customer service.

We are a privately held concern now led by CEO Brandon Wehl, an Electrical Engineer who is the third generation of the Wehl family to guide the company.

A thermostat manufacturer started and led by engineers
Our roots are in an independent engineering consulting practice started by Mr. Glenn Wehl and his father in the small town of North Canton, Ohio. A client looking for more flexibility requested the design of a thermostat that could be used as a motor protector. Glenn not only designed the device, but also began to manufacture it. Today we still supply thermal controls for this product, although it is now manufactured in China.

That original PEPI thermal control was manufactured in a small building behind a house on Portage Street in North Canton. Today PEPI has business operations in seven countries - the United States, Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and China. The constants that link Portage Electric then and now are a dedication to engineering excellence, innovation and responsiveness when a customer tells us "this is what I need".

This responsiveness is most visible in our Prototype Lab, which is a modern outgrowth of our early dedication to getting thermal control prototypes into the hands of design engineers as quickly as possible.

A worldwide focus
As the manufacture of small motors, appliances and battery packs has become global, so has our business. We have been selling PEPI products worldwide since 1975. Today PEPI products are shipped all around the world and meet the specifications of the appropriate national standards organizations.

The push toward miniaturization
From the very beginning this thermal control manufacturer offered space-saving benefits. This helped us move forward quickly when miniaturization become a focus for our customers in the 1980's. Today the PEPI line of thermal controls is noted for its overall smallness, led by the ultra-small Model N Series and the Model V Series.

A dedication to quality and reliability
Our devices are the only thing between a product operating safely and often dangerous malfunctions. Given this important role, we go to great lengths to assure quality and reliability. Beyond the statistical quality programs almost every manufacturer uses in search of better quality, we do some specific things to make sure PEPI products meet rigid quality standards.

1. All PEPI products are 100% quality tested before leaving our facilities. Since we ship millions of devices every year, you can imagine what a sophisticated job this must be. We have developed our own proprietary automated testing equipment to make sure every device is tested and found to be up to reliability standards.

2. All PEPI manufacturing facilities are kept remarkably clean. We feel it is prudent to eliminate as many potential quality problems as possible.

3. All PEPI devices are tested on application -special circuits to assure accuracy in the end product.

4. We utilize gold diffused fine silver contacts that help reduce internal resistance for critical applications.

Significant products and innovations
Thermal controls are our only business. With this sharp corporate focus, we have developed a number of significant innovations over the years that have helped our customers do things they couldn't do before.

Tomorrow
We intend to continue our dedication to the two foundations of our business. (1) Engineering and quality excellence, and (2) Prompt attention to customer product and service needs. We invite you to learn more about our company and our products as you move through this site.

Watch The Video

This short video clip will give you an up-close look at the most flexible thermal control manufacturing plant in the world. Enjoy.

(Click Here For Video)

Portage Electric Products, Inc.
770 Freedom Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720
Phone: 330-499-2727
Fax: 330-499-1853

Tell Us What You Want

Almost all PEPI products are customized in some way to meet specific customer needs. Products can be customized to meet different performance requirements or customer manufacturing needs. Customers can select the right operating temperatures and tolerances for their needs, the right lead materials, insulators and more. Our professional staff of sales engineers can help you get what you need. All you have to do is ask.

(Click Here To Tell Us)

The PEPI Prototype Lab

This is a unique facility at Portage Electric Products, dedicated to getting prototypes and pre-production orders into your hands faster. Here's how we do it and why.(Click Here)