Frank Bellek founded the Bell Electric Company in Chicago in 1946. The company went on to invent and patent many firsts including the first spring-loaded tamper-resistant “TR” wiring device. However, the company was best known for their pioneering outdoor electrical products. Their prominence in this market is primarily attributed to their iconic Bell boxes and Bell flip covers. Two product lines that together revolutionized convenient and safe access to electrical power outdoors.
Their namesake " Bell box" not only standardized the outdoor outlet box and junction box market, but it continues today as the number one box choice of electricians for residential, commercial and industrial outdoor applications.
In 1965, Bell purchased Fullman Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of floor boxes and covers. Then six years later in 1971 Bell itself was purchased by Square D Co. In 1986, Hubbell acquired Bell where it continues to thrive as a Hubbell brand. In 2012 Hubbell acquired TayMac Corp., another leader in weatherproof electrical and best known for inventing and defining the while-in-use device cover market. This created new synergies for Bell which soon incorporated many of the TayMac patented innovations including their fast keyhole mounting and universal adapter plates system into their flip cover lines. Together the product portfolio now includes an expansive offering of weatherproof boxes, covers and enclosures as well as outdoor lighting solutions. Bell continues today as an innovator and market leader in commercial and residential weatherproof product solutions.