Red Jacket History

RED JACKET

Red Jacket, a Veeder-Root company, is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of petroleum pumps, including a variety of electronic monitoring and line leak detection equipment used in petroleum markets worldwide. Veeder-Root manufactures under the Red Jacket brand name.

Our Name

Michigan inventor Robert Lafferty chose the name Red Jacket for his new double-action iron hand water pump. Making the leap from wood to iron construction, Lafferty's new pump delivered water quicker, using both the downward and upward thrusts of the handle. The pump-buying public quickly accepted the more durable product, and Red Jacket's reputation for innovation and quality was born.

It was no accident Lafferty selected the name Red Jacket for his revolutionary product. Chief Red Jacket was a Seneca Indian whose real name was Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha. Prior to the Revolutionary War, a friendly British commander gave him a red coat of the British Grenadiers uniform. His constant wearing of the red coat earned him the name Red Jacket.

Decorated by George Washington for his help to American patriots during the Revolutionary War, Chief Red Jacket received the first Congressional Medal of Honor, earning the respect and admiration of the entire country during the post Revolutionary War period.

Our History

In 1878, Lafferty’s company merged with the Cincinnati and Davenport pump companies, located in Davenport, Iowa, to form Red Jacket Manufacturing Company. Under the Lafferty family leadership, the company continued its reputation as a leader with a long list of industry achievements. In 1938, Red Jacket was one of the first companies east of the Rocky Mountains to market a jet pump.

Red Jacket’s dedicated employees joined the war effort in the early 1940s with 54-hour work weeks, producing gas driven centrifugal pumps and other essential pumping equipment for the military.

Its first submersible water pump was marketed in 1953, followed in 1956 with an extractable submersible petroleum pump. And in 1962 Red Jacket became one of the first to manufacture its own submersible motor.

In 1981, Red Jacket and Hydromatic Pump Company merged and Marley Pump, a subsidiary of The Marley Company of Mission Woods, Kansas, was formed. In 1993, United Dominion Industries (UDI), headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, acquired The Marley Company, which included Marley Pump. Marley Pump’s Water Products Division was sold to ITT Industries in April, 2001.

Our Products and Markets

Today, Veeder-Root manufactures Red Jacket® brand products serving the petroleum market:

The company manufacturers and sells submersible pumps, leak detectors, and electronic liquid management products to most major oil companies and independents for use in dispensing and measurement of petroleum products at service stations and bulk plants.

With the company’s commitment to product development, it began to explore pumping other fluids in addition to water. In 1953, Red Jacket was the first to market a submersible petroleum pump, and in 1956 developed the first extractable petroleum pump. With this breakthrough, Red Jacket took control of a major portion of the market and held a leadership role in the submersible pump industry.

More innovation followed as Red Jacket introduced the first mechanical line leak detector for pressurized piping. The company introduced the improved two-second leak detector in 1971, followed by the Piston Leak Detector (PLD), in 1986. To meet the challenges of changing fuels in both piston (XLP) and diaphragm (XLD) design leak detectors, Red Jacket introduced the FX System in 1993, adding improved durability.

Though mechanical leak detectors offered the earliest form of leak detection, increased concern for the environment lead Marley Pump into electronic monitoring equipment. The UST system was introduced in 1987, which included equipment for monitoring underground storage tanks, pressurized piping and containment areas.

With improved electronic technology, Red Jacket quickly followed the UST with the advanced ST System, harnessing the power and precision of ultrasonic technology for complete underground monitoring.

Petroleum Products for the Next Generation

Red Jacket’s latest products include The Red Jacket Variable Speed Flow Controller, and The Red Jacket Submersible Turbine Pump. The Variable Speed Flow Controller was developed and introduced as a better approach to variable speed pumping, the Variable Speed Flow Controller measures and maintains line pressure to meet increase demand for flow while limiting flow to meet the 10 GPM maximum flow regulation. The Red Jacket Submersible Turbine Pump incorporates a range of innovative new features that keep the safety of service technicians and service related costs in mind.

Red Jacket has the resources that help customers with flow requirements, and site optimization. We take a comprehensive approach to product design that delivers the fuel flow you need, and also factors in important cost considerations such as the equipment’s serviceability, safety, ease of upgrades, and impact on environmental compliance.

Flow Planning Improves Site Performance Improved flow isn’t just about the size of your pumps. Understanding how your site works, and the impact of other equipment on flow rates, can help you make the right equipment choices.

Our Quality

Red Jacket’s manufacturing facility in Altoona, PA, is certified to the prestigious ISO-9001 quality standard by Det Norske Veritas, a leading European certification firm. Our certification includes the design, manufacture, marketing, and customer service functions for motors, fluid pumps, controls and accessories, and mechanical leak detectors for petroleum.

In addition, Underwriters Laboratories and the Canadian Standards Association certify Red Jacket products.

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