East Penn Manufacturing – Celebrates 80 Years of Power
By Nicole Needles
FOUNDED IN 1946 by father-and-son duo DeLight Jr. and DeLight Sr. Breidegam, East Penn Manufacturing began as a modest battery rebuilding operation in a former creamery in Pennsylvania. When DeLight Jr. returned home from serving in the Army Air Corp during World War II, he discovered a postwar problem: vehicle batteries had sat idle for years and were failing. This need sparked a business idea.
“They opened this small shop where they would rebuild car batteries,” said East Penn’s Director of Industrial Marketing Chad Christ. “In between, they would redo furniture. So it’s really an entrepreneurial success story.”
That humble two-man operation has grown into a global powerhouse. “Next year, we’re going to be celebrating our 80th anniversary,” Christ added. “From that small shop, we’ve grown to a 520-acre site here in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, and many locations across North America and the world.”
East Penn’s reach and innovation have evolved, especially since entering the industrial battery sector in the 1960s. “That’s what really grew us into the motive power and forklift industry,” said East Penn’s Group Vice President-Motive David Corey.
Despite its size and success, East Penn maintains a uniquely personal culture.
“It’s unusual if you don’t have a family member working here at some point,” joked Corey. “There’s an org chart, but anyone here can pick up a phone and call our CEO. He’ll come to your office and say, ‘Hey, I heard this. We need to do something about it.’”
That culture was planted by the founders and remains strong today. “This company is still privately held by the same family,” said Christ. “The values DeLight passed on to us are still alive. It may be a huge organization, but we still operate as a small, personable company when it comes to our people and customers.”
Gestures large and small reinforce this atmosphere. Every Christmas, for example, everybody gets a turkey—10,000 in total. Annually, the company buys out an amusement park for a day, providing free food and admission for employees and their families.
East Penn’s commitment extends far beyond its walls. They support community organizations such as United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters, a legacy started by the Breidegam family foundation. Employees also serve locally as coaches, board members and more.
That same care is applied internally. “We have our own on-site medical department,” Corey said. “We work with lead, so we make sure employees are tested regularly. We’re very focused on health, training and maintaining safe, sustainable practices. Lead is 99% recyclable, and our on-site recycling facility maximizes efficiency and conserves resources.”
As the motive power industry evolves, East Penn remains a steady leader.
“I’ve been in this business for 34 years,” said Corey. “What’s changed is the demand for technology; electrification, telematics and maintenance-free batteries. The forklift industry isn’t just about a battery and charger anymore. Customers want more data, more insight.”
While lithium batteries are gaining attention, East Penn continues to innovate across technologies, truly putting the “power” in “powerhouse.” Through nearly 80 years of transformation, East Penn’s founding values endure.
“Treat people right, do the right things and good things happen,” Christ said. “That’s who we are.”
