Lisle Corporation will celebrate the company's founding and 100 years of continuous manufacturing in Clarinda, Iowa in 2003. The privately owned company is led today by third, fourth and fifth generation family members.
C.A. Lisle started the company in 1903 with the first product being horse-powered water well drilling machines. To combat the seasonality of the well drilling business, the young company branched out and also manufactured washing machines, cream separators, and push-type reel lawn mowers.
In the mid-20s, Lisle Corporation made its first automotive product, a master ignition vibrator for Ford Model T vehicles. The first Lisle tool, a valve refacer, fast became a repair shop must since valves were reground every 20,000 miles at that time.