[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING EAST PENN MANUFACTURING'S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. CHARLES W. DENT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2016

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to join with my colleague from 
Pennsylvania, Representative Ryan Costello, to recognize the 70th 
Anniversary of East Penn Manufacturing, a family-owned business located 
in Lyons, Pennsylvania that exemplifies the American spirit of hard 
work and ingenuity.
  As veterans returned home at the end of World War II, they were 
looking for reliable and affordable car batteries. DeLight Breidegam 
Jr., an Air Force veteran, and his father, DeLight Sr., responded to 
the growing demand for batteries in 1946 by starting a business to 
collect and rebuild old batteries.
  The following year, in 1947, Karl Gasche joined the Breidegams and 
was named the company's Vice President. Gasche was an engineering 
graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and as modern 
materials became more available after the war, he designed a line of 
new batteries for the company. This line, which was named ``Deka,'' is 
now one of the best known battery lines in America.
  East Penn has shown an exemplary commitment to environmental 
stewardship during the past seven decades. That commitment has been 
ingrained in the company's identity and operations since day one 
through an extremely successful battery-recycling initiative. Today, 
East Penn recycles approximately 30,000 batteries per day. Furthermore, 
East Penn is making advances in emerging technologies, such as hybrid 
electric vehicles and smart grid services, which help to conserve 
energy and protect our environment.
  Since its inception 70 years ago, East Penn has grown to become one 
of the world's leading battery manufacturers with more than 8,000 
employees and 450 product designs. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to 
offer our congratulations to the talented and hard-working employees at 
East Penn Manufacturing, as well as the entire Breidegam family, as 
they celebrate 70 years of success and innovation in the Berks County 
area and beyond. May they enjoy continued prosperity.

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