Before the turn of the 20th century, a rotary pump was generally understood to be a "gear pump," consisting primarily of two meshing gears which trapped liquid between the gear teeth and the pump housing creating small sealing cavities transporting fluid as it rotates, forcing the liquid out the other side. But in 1899 R. M. Blackmer came up with a vane-type pump design that was an important departure from the old gear principle. In contrast to the flow rate from a gear pump dropped steadily as the gear teeth wore away, the loss from a vane-type pump was practically negligible. As the vanes wore away at the tips, they simply moved further out of the rotor slots to self-adjust for wear.

           Blackmer couldn't have picked a better time to invent this new type of pump. The advent of the automobile was giving the country a new thirst for gasoline and oil. The petroleum industry was growing by giant strides and the young firm was prepared to expand with it.

           The original Blackmer vane pump has fathered a family of hundreds of different pump models. Today, Blackmer markets these pumps along with other fluid and gas technologies worldwide from its five manufacturing facilities supported by more than 600 dedicated employees. 

The following is a timeline of  Blackmer's first 100 years...

1899- Robert Blackmer invents first rotary vane pump.

1903- Company incorporates in Petosky, MI as the Blackmer Pump, Power and Manufacturing Company.

1914- Blackmer becomes supplier to U.S. military.

1915- Blackmer launches it's truck-mounted pump.

1925- Blackmer relocates to Grand Rapids, MI and establishes a captive foundry.

1950- Integral mechanical seal pump introduced.

1954- First practical positive-displacement liquefied gas pumps developed. First sliding vane pump produced.

1964- Company is purchased by the Dover Corporation. Blackmer continues to operate as an independent unit of Dover.

1968- Non-galling stainless steel pump introduced.

1980- First Blackmer reciprocating compressor introduced in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by the Compressor Division.

1987- ML4 pump introduced and outperforms gear pumps in viscous, high pressure applications.

1990- HD industrial compressors introduced.

1991- Company name changed from 'Blackmer Pump' to 'Blackmer' to reflect growing product line and single focused branding. Seal-less pumps introduced.

1992- Purchased new plant in Oklahoma City for Compressor Division.

1993- Grand Rapids plant earns ISO-9001 certification.

1995- Oklahoma City plant earns ISO-9001 certification.

1996- Purchased Hammond Engineering, a rotary vane compressor, hydraulic cooler, and screw compressor manufacturer in England. 

1997- Purchased Mouvex, a French manufacturer of eccentric movement and vane pumps, plus rotary vane and screw compressors. Purchased Abaque, a French manufacturer of peristaltic (hose) pumps.

1999- Introduced the DMX Air Elimination system to North America.

2000- Blackmer acquires System One Pumps, an industry defining centrifugal pump that forced other competitive products to upgrade their pump designs.

...And beyond  Blackmer enters the 21st century poised to design, improve, and provide the highest quality of product innovations, flow technologies, and customer commitment.