Mercury was awarded the contract, and was the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer by the end of the war. The Kiekhaefer powered chainsaw was able to cut through a 24-inch (610 mm) green log in 17 seconds, while it took the nearest competitor 52 seconds. Kiekhaefer designed a new lightweight chainsaw in 2 months. Army engineers had been unable to design a lightweight motor. World War II changed the corporate climate, and Kiekhaefer sought a government contract to design two-man air-cooled chainsaws. Kiekhaefer took more than 16,000 orders at the 1940 New York Boat Show. Kiekhaefer designed motors that withstood the elements better than his competition and called the motor Mercury (taking advantage of the 'Mercury' Motor Car popularity at the time) wilst the adopting the logo of Roman god Mercury. The motors were much improved, so the buyer purchased more.
![mercury motor serial number location mercury motor serial number location](https://ami.custhelp.com/euf/assets/images/img/Boat_number_500x281.jpg)
Kiekhaefer and a small staff of employees rebuilt the motors and sold them to Montgomery Ward, a mail-order company. The purchase included 300 defective outboard motors. Kiekhaefer's original intention for the Kiekhaefer Corporation was to make magnetic separators for the dairy industry. The Kiekhaefer Mercury company began in 1939, when engineer Carl Kiekhaefer purchased a small outboard motor company in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Mercury Racing is the company's division for racing engines tailored for power and speed. Mercury also makes the MerCruiser line of sterndrives (inboard/outboard drives) and inboard motors. Mercury also manufactures engines over 75 horsepower at its facility in Fond du Lac in Wisconsin. Mercury Marine builds 40, 50 and 60 horsepower outboard motors in Suzhou, China. Mercury Outboards, 30 Hp and less, are made by Tohatsu in Japan. Mercury Marine's primary business is outboard motors. Mercury Marine, founded in 1939 as Kiekhaefer Mercury, is a division of the Brunswick Corporation. A Mercury 50 HP outboard motor circa 1980