Pico is founded


Pico's 1st building. It was located on Pico blvd in Los Angeles and was about 25,000 sq feet.

PICO HISTORY

Pico's Founder


Carl R. Lauterwasser arrived in L.A. from Kansas at the age of 65 and started a new company "Pico Sheet Metal", located on Pico & San Pedro streets in Los Angeles. The main products offered in those days where blowpipes, electrical enclosures, boxes and brackets - remarkably similar to today's products. Mr Lauterwasser dies in 1947 at the age of 85 while attempting to move a Shear machine alone (by his choice)

Financial Troubles 1948


By 1949 Pico was down financially and a creditors committee was formed to dissolve the business. At that point Pico employee John Cogorno asked his brothers Julie, Albert & Silvio to join forces and take over the operation. Julie Cogorno had been working at Zinsco Electrical Products, but resigned to pursue his destiny at Pico. They repaid the accounts, brought in new customers, updated the machinery and continued to run the business for the next 50 years. One brother, Julie, owned the business thru 2005. His son, Gary started in 1970 and has since taken over leadership of the company. Click on the right to Take a look at the Dun & Bradstreet report from 1949.

Pico in the 50's


1950’s Pico Office workers using state of the art office equipment

Pico Selects IBEW union


In 1952, Pico's Employees become represented by the "International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers # 1710. All negotiations between the IBEW and Pico have been hard fought, but fair. Pico did suffer one strike in 1970, which was resolved in 2 weeks.

1983 CNC Machine Purchase


Pico purchases 2 W.A. Whitney CNC turret punch presses. These turrets feathure 60" sheet width and 18 tol capacity .


These were the first computerized machines in the factory and helped keep our customers costs down, shortened leadtimes and improved quality

1985 Build and Relocate to New Building


In 1985 Pico Purchased land, built and relocated to Santa Fe Springs. This building was designed with one thoght in mind : efficient sheet metal fabrication.


This new state of the art fabricating facility is a sheet metal workers dream come true. Clean, well lighted, and laid out, this 40,000 sqft factory will give you accurate parts on time, time and time again.

1991 Trump Laser Purchase


Pico once again leads the sheet metal industry by purchasing the 1st laser cutter in So Cal. This 1000w machine greatly pleased our customers by providing low cost, complex hole pattern and contour cutouts, with a repeatability of 0.004".


This original machine has now been upgraded to 3000w turbo laser with working surface of 60" x 120" and 1" mild steel

1992 Pico Electrical is founded.


Reaching back to its roots, Pico forms another company called Pico Electrical Equipment, Inc.


This new company provides General Electric OEM switchboards and panelboards, in a diverse range of sizes and configurations.


Panelboards, with your specified circuit breakers, in a NEMA 4X enclosure with 2 weeks leadtime is no problem.

1997


Pico enters into agreement to fabricate sheet metal, create weldments, wire and assemble hardware on this ice resurfacing vehicle.


120 vehicles have now been shipped worldwide.