CARMEL, IND. -- March 27,
2008 - Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies today announced that one of its
industry leading brands, Von Duprin, will celebrate its Centennial year throughout
2008. With a 230,000 square foot manufacturing facility, Von Duprin continues
its uninterrupted 100 year tradition of high quality American-made life safety
and security products. Festivities are planned over the next nine months and
will include multiple customer and employee events.
"Since 1908, Von Duprin
has helped protect the public at some of the world's most important buildings,"
affirms Don Baker, general manager of Von Duprin. "Our exit devices and
trim are at government facilities, such as the Pentagon, in schools, including
Indiana University, Harvard and Yale, and hospitals throughout the country,
such as at the Mayo Clinic. It's been that way since the first panic release
bar was introduced over 100 years ago."
According to Baker, Von
Duprin began in 1908, when it introduced the first panic release bar. It had
become obvious that there was a major need for letting people easily escape
locked down buildings in case of catastrophe while likewise providing security
during normal times. This purpose, among others, still guides the firm today.
Indianapolis hardware salesman
Carl Prinzler had missed a scheduled visit to Chicago's Iroquois Theatre in
1903, escaping a disaster in which 594 people perished when the so-called "fireproof"
theater burned. Obsessed with the needless loss of lives, Prinzler was determined
to solve the problem of public buildings turning into death traps when doors
were locked to keep gate crashers out.
Prinzler teamed up with
his neighbor Henry DuPont, an architectural engineer, who invented the first
working device. Marketed by Vonnegut Hardware Company under the name Von Duprin,
a contraction of Vonnegut, Dupont and Prinzler, this initial model was introduced
in 1908. The popular 88 Series crossbar exit devices, still manufactured by
Von Duprin 100 years later, have similar appearance characteristics to the original
design, although significant engineering alterations have been made.
Currently, Von Duprin manufactures
the widest range of exit devices and outside trim operations, including rim-type
and mortise lock, surface and concealed vertical rod, fire-rated and many electrical
options. Security products include a full line of electromagnetic locks, electric
strikes, card readers, and keypad access control devices.
Announcements of events
and festivities will continue throughout the year.