The Amperite Company was founded in 1912 by Elmer Amper and is credited with developing some of the earliest electromechanical time-delay relays, and the original Molded Case time-delay relays, Model 2M and 2M2. The 2M was a direct replacement for the company's earlier mechanical relays, while the 2M2 was a more advanced design that incorporated several innovations, such as changes to the coil, an improved mounting system, and a cover design that allowed for ventilation. Both models were extremely reliable, and remain popular in industrial applications to this day. The 2M2 was also the first Amperite product to feature a two-pole design. The two-pole design allowed for two contacts to be controlled by one coil, allowing for even more control and flexibility.