L-com reflects back on 40 years of steady success

L-com was incorporated in 1982, though its roots can be traced back to 1949, when founder Alfred F. Contarino Sr. started ALCO Electronics, a power supply manufacturer and TV repair shop in Lawrence, Mass. Over the next 30 years the company grew from 4 employees to 160 and became a global specialist in manufacturing miniature electronic switches.

In 1982, Contarino started L-com to manufacture switching power supplies for computer-related products. They set up shop in North Andover, Mass., the city where L-com is still headquartered today. In 1984 their focus shifted to connectivity products − mainly cable assemblies, connectors, adapters, test equipment and networking products. Business boomed and by 1997 L-com had doubled both its workforce and building size.

Growth continued as L-com expanded its US operations in 2005 and a year later opened a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China.

L-com further strengthened its resources and capabilities in 2016 when it was acquired by global electronics supplier Infinite Electronics. Infinite, a Warburg Pincus portfolio company, is a global supplier of electronic components, serving engineers’ urgent needs through a family of highly recognised and trusted brands.