Media Center
EDELBROCK CORPORATION TODAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact(s):
Dan Smith, Pacific Communications Group: (310) 224-4954 (dsmith@paccomgrp.com)
 
Back to 2004 Media Center - Sema Edition

TORRANCE, Calif. - From its humble beginnings during the Great Depression, Edelbrock Corporation has grown into a $115 million-plus sales company. American-made "Proven Performance" has been the company's philosophy from the outset, and it continues to guide all aspects of the company today. Breakthrough engineering combined with precision manufacturing and utilization on the streets, off-road, and racetracks of America have made the Edelbrock name and products a legend among performance enthusiasts and leader in the $28-billion aftermarket industry (figures from Specialty Equipment Market Association [SEMA] statistics).

Vic Edelbrock Sr. started his business in 1938 out of a small garage in Los Angeles. His reputation as an expert mechanic and innovative designer of engine performance parts, along with his own remarkable personal racing successes, fueled the Edelbrock reputation and helped the company steadily grow. His son, Vic Edelbrock Jr., took the reins in 1962, and has expanded the company's capabilities and product line to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving automotive landscape.

Edelbrock is celebrating its 66th anniversary in 2004, and today is recognized by automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts throughout the world as one of the leading designers and manufacturers of high-quality, performance-enhancing automotive engine, suspension and exhaust system aftermarket parts for domestic and a growing number of import vehicles. Edelbrock recently added the Russell Performance line of plumbing and DOT-approved brake lines to its impressive list of aftermarket products. The company engineers its components to improve horsepower, torque, gas mileage, appearance or handling of street, off-road and competition vehicles.

Adding to its racing heritage, Edelbrock recently signed a historic 5-year contingency sponsorship program deal with NASCAR. It is the first-ever multi-year deal NASCAR has offered a contingency sponsor.

The company currently has five facilities totally more than 400,000 square feet. The main offices in Torrance, Calif., include engineering and R&D, major manufacturing, sales, tech support, quality control, information systems, in-house print shop, in-house advertising agency and accounting.

The Edelbrock foundry, in San Jacinto, Calif., casts the company's extensive line of aluminum products. Edelbrock manufactures carburetors for Harley-Davidson® and a variety of dual-purpose and off-road motorcycles in an adjacent facility. The plant was built in 1990 and is one of the most sophisticated "green sand" foundries in the western U.S., helping the company to tightly control the quality of cast aluminum parts while significantly reducing time to market.

In 1995, the company completed the construction of a 37,000-sq.-ft. building in Torrance to house its exhaust products division, and a 15,000-sq.-ft. facility to expand the company's foundry warehouse space in San Jacinto. In late 1997, Edelbrock completed construction of a 45,000-sq.-ft. facility adjacent to its existing exhaust facility, which is being used primarily for the manufacture of shock absorbers, as well as to accommodate additional corporate expansion and is where the Russell division moved into in 2001.

In October 1999, the company completed construction of a 65,950-sq.-ft. distribution facility on company-owned property adjacent to its exhaust system and shock absorber/Russell production facility in Torrance. The company is utilizing the 30,000-sq.-ft. former distribution area at its company headquarters for additional manufacturing capacity.

In December, 2000, Edelbrock purchased the Russell Performance Products company of Florida, and relocated it to its original home in California in May, 2001. Russell's lines of advanced fluid transfer systems are a complement to the Edelbrock product line.

Since October 1994, Edelbrock Corporation has been a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange (symbol: EDEL).

The company's Web site, www.edelbrock.com, launched in 1995, features information on parts and products, its facilities, history and popular Edelbrock-labeled clothing. Newly added is an online media news bureau where journalists can easily access product releases, high-resolution photos and request parts for project vehicles.

All core Edelbrock parts are designed, engineered, and produced in the USA, using sophisticated CAD (computer assisted design) programs, CNC (computerized numeric control) machinery, and robotic welding and cutting machines. These advanced processes ensure the high quality that has made Edelbrock famous.

Constant investment in its manufacturing processes also allows Edelbrock to keep its operations extremely efficient. Edelbrock consistently invests more than $4 million annually in its capital expenditures, as well as research and development of new and improved performance products.

Edelbrock received the highly regarded quality certification level of QS9000 and ISO 9001 in November 1998.

Edelbrock products are available for street cars, trucks, off-road, imports, race cars, marine applications and motorcycles. The company's product line now totals more than 8,100 different products to meet the needs of the contemporary motorists - from everyday driver to professional racer.

Edelbrock's current product lines:

Crate engines Carburetors & accessories
Fuel pumps Installation items
Manifolds Cylinder heads
Nitrous systems Camshafts & lifters
Electronic fuel injection systems Exhaust headers, mufflers & cat-back systems
Suspension componentry Shock absorbers
Water pumps Engine management systems
Turbochargers Accessories

Edelbrock's divisions include:

Motorcycle carburetors & related products Sport compact line of products
Edelbrock Aluminum Foundry Russell Performance
Exhaust/Suspension Performer IAS Shocks

Edelbrock distributes its products through an extensive network of more than 13,000 automotive parts retail chains, independent store wholesalers and automotive mail-order catalogs. It also sells aftermarket parts directly to Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Chrysler Corp., Volvo-Penta and MerCruiser, a marine division of Brunswick Corp.

Edelbrock's core product line of performance-enhancing engine, suspension and exhaust system parts, which make up The Total Power Package®, are all made in the USA. Edelbrock is major contingency sponsor of several racing organizations, including NASCAR and NHRA, and was named as one of Forbes magazine's "200 Best Small Companies" in November 1999 and again in October 2000.

Edelbrock Corp. • 2700 California St. • Torrance, CA • 90503 • (310) 781-2222


©2004 Edelbrock Corporation