In 1937, when his employer decided to move its offices from Elyria, Ohio, Reginald Beckett had to make a choice. His decision to follow his life-long dream of starting his own company would play a major role in the development of the oil heating industry in North America.

Working from his home, Reg Beckett began work on a design for an oil burner. Introduced at an industry trade show in 1938, the Beckett Commodore was the company's first product. The C.A. Olsen company, a local furnace manufacturer, placed the first order for 50 burners that year.

The 1930's were an eventful decade for Reg and his wife, Jean. They were married, founded a new company, moved the company's operations twice, and became parents for the first time with the birth of a son, John.

World War II brought major set-backs to many businesses in the United States, and Beckett was no exception. With fuel in tight supply and components unavailable, burner production came to a halt. However, Reg found a way to keep the company's doors open by installing insulation in area homes. Fuel rationing created a need to conserve energy, and the company survived by shifting it's emphasis to this task.

The war's end once again made burner production possible and brought a surge of interest in home construction and improvements. Oil burners were ideal for use with new automatic heating systems that provided constant comfort levels without the need to shovel coal. The company was back in the oil burner business!

Reg Beckett's commitment to quality engineering and the growth of the market led to significant sales increases. As the demand for burners increased, so did the need for additional production space.

A new plant was built on land Reg had purchased during the depression, which had been used by employees for victory gardens during the war. The office portion of the building, still in use today, was designed to look like a home to make the plant fit into its rural residential surroundings.

Construction meant total "hands on" involvement by Reg. He did the surveying and was the general contractor, tending to most every detail, including the planting of a vibrant array of flowers, shrubs and trees. The gardens around the plant are still enjoyed by company employees today.

Beckett became involved in legal battles during the 1950's. The company contended with the Ohio Turnpike's attempt to usurp a critical portion of its land and took action against competitors who had infringed on its patents.

However, the legal distractions, combined with questions about the long-term viability of the oil heat industry, delayed Beckett's introduction of new products. In hindsight, this delay undermined the company's position in the market and sales dropped. After substantial growth during the first half of the 1950's, sales and profitability were at critically low levels by the end of the decade.

Once he realized the need for a new product, Reg Beckett undertook the project vigorously. The result, the Model S (for "small") was a lighter, less costly burner but it maintained the quality and performance of its predecessor. The new burner was introduced in 1961 and began reviving the company's lagging sales.

The Beckett family celebrated two weddings in 1961. Their daughter Bev was married in June. In August, John, a recent graduate of MIT, married Wendy Hunt.

After graduation, John worked at Lear Siegler in Elyria, Ohio designing components for aircraft and missiles. In 1963, Reg asked him to join the R.W. Beckett Corporation, an offer that John gladly accepted.

For more than a year, the father and son team worked together. Reg gave John an exposure to all areas of the company's operations. Then, on February 6, 1965, John received a call from the Elyria Police Department. His father had been found slumped over the steering wheel of his parked car, the victim of a sudden heart attack.

Reg's untimely death forced John to make a critical decision about the future of the company. Offers came in to buy the operation, but he decided to continue with the company as a Beckett family business.

John spent much of the mid-1960's recruiting the management team that would propel the company's future growth. Approximately three months after his father's death, John hired Robert Cook, an executive from Standard Oil of Ohio to head the company's marketing efforts. Bob's insights into the marketing and finance aspects of business have been highly instrumental in the company's success. During the past 37 years, the two have managed the expansion of R.W. Beckett Corporation and started a number of other successful businesses.

Another key addition to the company was Myron Cooperrider. With a strong background in burner technology, Myron was able to design the Model A burner: a more efficient and cost-effective successor to the Model S. Many features of this burner are still state-of-the-art in the new millennium.

With the introduction of the Model A burner in the late ‘60s, then the Model AF (flame retention) in the early ‘70s, sales increased dramatically. The company expanded its manufacturing facilities in 1973.

Just as the expansion was complete, however, war broke out in the Middle East. Immediately following were a series of dramatic worldwide dislocations in oil production and distribution.

The Arab oil embargo of October, 1973 shook the entire oil industry. Beckett experienced declining sales for the first time since the early 1960's.

Though set back temporarily by the impact of the oil embargo, Beckett was soon able to expand sales and penetrate new markets. Remarkably, some of its best years came in the mid-‘70s as homeowners aggressively replaced their old burners with new highly efficient units.

With its new-found leadership role in the oil industry, the company embarked on a number of new efforts to assist with education and the promotion of oilheat. The company produced an industry-standard training manual entitled "The Professional Serviceman's Guide to Oil Heat" and a number of statement stuffers aimed at helping oil dealers communicate the benefits of oil to their customers.

The effects of a second OPEC oil shock in the late 1970's hit the U.S. economy in the early 1980's, and, because of a run up in fuel prices, cut the industry's oil burner sales in half.

Though Beckett was in a much better position to handle the crisis than many other companies, every effort had to be made to cut costs, short of laying off workers. The latter was especially significant to the local community. Unemployment in North Ridgeville during the period soared past 30%.

It was also time to seek divine wisdom. In early 1980, twenty-five Beckett employees gathered one evening after work to talk and pray together. John later recalled, "We affirmed our confidence that God was bigger than the Middle East crisis, and that we should take each day one at a time, with our trust in Him."

Beckett personnel began to address influential trade gatherings in an attempt to rally support for the industry's future. Their theme was upbeat: the dislocations in oil price and supply would settle down, and this was a time to actively market, not sit back in desperation. New equipment provided much needed fuel savings to customers and far-sighted marketers began to promote its sale.

By the end of the 1980's, the company was again strong, with growing sales and market share.

The 1990’s were years of continued growth for the company. Major themes focused on efficiency, quality and customer service.

In addition, John and the management team infused a set of core values into the company designed to reflect John's faith and establish a solid foundation for the company's future. Integrity, Excellence and Profound Respect for the Individual are at the foundation of Beckett's corporate culture. Rather than being forgotten mantras in a planning folder, these values are thoroughly communicated through the organization on a regular basis.

Consistent with John's commitment to respect the individual, the company offers a variety of educational, health and retirement benefits. The company's management and employees worked together to set up a fitness center in the building. Short courses on a variety of subjects such as health, nutrition and personal finance are offered during lunch breaks in the company's well-equipped training center. These innovative programs helped Beckett win Cleveland's "Employer of the Year" award from the Employers Resource Council.

In 1997, John's eldest son, Kevin, joined R.W. Beckett after six years of experience with an affiliated company - Beckett Gas, Inc. Kevin's immediate mandate is to ensure that the company's products reflect the best technology available to the oil industry. In addition, a clear program of succession is underway, so that when John retires, the company can smoothly be handed to the third generation of family management.

Beckett continues to make the transition to the next generation. Although John is still very active in the company as Chairman, in 2003 Kevin assumed the role of President and CEO.

As we look to the new millennium, Beckett has the leadership, technology, and commitment to be a leader in the oilheat industry. Beckett’s owners continue to trust in God’s goodness and provision, believing the future to be bright for Beckett and the industry it has been proud to serve.