Our Story: The Adventure Behind Enercon 

How Enercon Engineering Began
In 1975, inside a small garage in Chillicothe, Illinois, five men — Ed Tangel, Bill Rogers, Bill Steele, Bill Phelps, and Diz Small — took a bold leap. Sensing uncertainty at their former company, they united with a shared vision: to build a future centered around helping others through the world of secure power solutions. With the support of their families, they founded Enercon Engineering — a company built on passion, commitment, and the belief that enjoying your work leads to doing it exceptionally well.

Their goal was simple but powerful: to create a workplace fueled by purpose and camaraderie, where success was measured not just by financial gain, but by the joy of collaboration and achievement. Today, nearly five decades later, Enercon continues to thrive as a company where people are passionate, energized, and committed to building a better future — together.

From a Family Business to a Business of Families
Enercon’s beginnings were rooted in family — the Tangels, the Rogers, and countless friends and lifelong acquaintances. Over time, it evolved into what CEO Larry Tangel describes as a "business of families" — a place where strong business practices and a deep commitment to supporting employee families go hand-in-hand.  “We think of ourselves as a business of families because we want to stay connected to our WHY: caring for our families by actualizing our skills, serving our customers, and delivering secure, reliable power solutions.” — Larry Tangel, CEO

At Enercon, success is measured by creating highly valued solutions that support the well-being and prosperity of every family connected to the company.

Global Vision from the Start
From the very beginning, Ed and Bill set their sights beyond U.S. borders. Within three years, over 50% of Enercon’s products were being exported to growing international markets — a major differentiator at a time when most U.S. switchgear suppliers focused solely on domestic sales. This early commitment to global business not only expanded Enercon’s reach but also fortified its position as an industry leader in power system controls and paralleling switchgear.

Another pivotal milestone was Enercon’s selection by Caterpillar as their outsourced switchgear partner. From 1977 to 1995, Enercon designed and built Caterpillar-branded paralleling switchgear at its East Peoria facility. Caterpillar’s endorsement — often telling dealers, “We use Enercon!” — was invaluable to Enercon’s rapid growth and reputation for quality.

Culture and Resilience
Enercon’s success was never built on technical expertise alone. A culture of commitment, customer focus, and fun made all the difference. During the 1982–83 recession, while many businesses struggled, Enercon expanded — acquiring Custom Engineering, a packaging company whose customers, staff, and family ties aligned perfectly with Enercon’s mission and markets.

This strategic move allowed Enercon to offer customers a complete solution, combining paralleling switchgear with custom genset packaging — strengthening its position as a full-service provider for critical power applications.
 

A Legacy of Leadership

Enercon’s growth over the years was guided by the leadership of Ed and Larry Tangel, whose vision helped shape the company into a trusted provider of custom power solutions across a wide range of industries and applications. During that time, Enercon was organized into three specialized business units: Integrated Energy Solutions (IES), Integrated Defense Solutions (IDS), and Engineered Systems (ES), allowing the company to sharpen its focus and better serve evolving customer needs.

 

As Enercon continued to grow, the company also implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to strengthen alignment, clarify vision, and drive consistency across the organization. Combined with major milestones like the THAAD Prime Power Unit, renewed momentum in paralleling switchgear, and continued expansion in custom control panels, these efforts helped position Enercon for its next chapter.

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That next chapter began in 2025, when Enercon celebrated 50 years of delivering secure and reliable power solutions worldwide. The milestone marked both a celebration of the company’s history and a recognition of the strong foundation built over five decades.

 

Looking Ahead with Generac

Today, Enercon is proud to move forward as Enercon, a Generac company. While the company has grown and evolved, its commitment to building Customers for Life remains unchanged. That dedication to service, quality, and long-term relationships continues to define who Enercon is, and it will carry the company forward for decades to come.