Lorain Products was founded on January 1, 1936 by C. Paul Stocker and F. J. Heavens. Paul Stocker, the company's co-founder graduated from Ohio University in 1926 with a degree in electrical engineering. Paul went to work for Bell Laboratories in New York City. During the Depression and mass layoffs, he lost his job. Stocker invented many things but was best know for the Sub Cycle static frequency converter, which was a revolutionary design for the telephone industry. To market his invention, he started his own research and development company in 1936; Lorain Products.