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'International Harvester Company' ('IHC' or 'IH'; now Navistar International Corporation) was an agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. It was the result of a 1902 merger between the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms: Milwaukee; Plano; and Warder, Bushnell, and Glessner (manufacturers of Champion brand). International Harvester sold off the Ag division in 1984 and later renamed what was left of the company to Navistar International.

Contents

History

Foundation

Downfall and ending

Divisions and products

Agriculture

Death of the Ag division

Other agricultural products

Vehicles

Light duty

Medium/Heavy duty

Home

Lawn and garden

Home appliances

See also

References

External links

History

Foundation

The roots of International Harvester can be traced back to the 1830s, when Cyrus Hall McCormick, an inventor from Virginia, finalized his version of a horse-drawn reaper. The reaper was demonstrated in tests in 1831 and was patented by Cyrus in 1834. Together with his brother, McCormick moved to Chicago in 1847 and started the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The McCormick reaper sold well, partially as a result of savvy and innovative business practices. Their products came onto the market just as the development of railroads offered wide distribution to distant market areas. He developed marketing and sales techniques, developing a vast network of trained salesmen able to demonstrate operation of the machines in the field.
McCormick died in Chicago, with his company passing on to his son, Cyrus McCormick, Jr. In 1902, the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms (Milwaukee; Plano; and Warder, Bushnell, and Glessner (manufacturers of Champion brand)) merged together to create the International Harvester Company.

Downfall and ending

By the end of 1979, IH profits were at their highest in 10 years. Yet, the company was still strapped for cash. In the spring and summer of that year, IH began short-term planning for a strike that seemed inevitable. Then on November 1, IH announced figures showing that president and chairman Archie McCardell received a $1.8 million (in 1979 values) bonus. This, along with the fact that the UAW had been asking for higher wages, amounted to a strike on November 2, 1979. Soon after, the economy turned unfavorably against IH, and they became caught in a financial crisis. The strike lasted approximately six months. When it ended, IH had lost almost $600 million (in 1979 values, over $2 billion today).^[1]
By 1981, IH was in trouble. The strike, accompanied by the economy and several internal company problems, had placed IH in a hole that had only a slim way out. Things only got worse until 1984, when the bitter end came.
International Harvester, following many hours of negotiations, agreed to sell the Ag division to Tenneco, Inc. on November 26, 1984. Tenneco already had the subsidiary company, J.I. Case, that manufactured tractors, but lacked the full line of farm implements that IH produced (combines, cotton pickers, tillage equipment, etc.)
Following the merger, production of tractors at Harvester's Rock Island, Illinois Farmall Works was ceased in May of 1985 when the last IH tractor came off of the assembly line. Production of all of the new Case IH tractors was moved to the J.I. Case Tractor Works in Racine, Wisconsin. Production of IH Axial-Flow combines continued at the East Moline, Illinois combine factory. Harvester's Memphis Works in Memphis, Tennessee was closed and Cotton Picker production was moved.
The truck and engine divisions remained and in 1986 Harvester changed their corporate name to Navistar International Corporation (Harvester had sold the International Harvester name and the IH symbol to Tenneco Inc. as part of the sale of its Ag division). Navistar International Corporation continues to manufacture medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks, school buses and engines under the International brand name. ¹

Divisions and products

Agriculture

The International Harvester Agricultural Division was by far the biggest and best known IH subsidiary. When IH sold their ag division to Tenneco in 1985, the International Harvester name and "IH" logo, went with it.
One of the first early products (besides the harvesting equipment that McCormick and Deering had been making prior to the merger) from the newly created International Harvester Company was the Traction Truck: a truck frame manufactured by Morton Traction Truck Company (later bought IHC) with an IHC engine mounted on it. IHC also produced a range of massive gas-powered farm tractors under names that included "Titan" and "Mogul". These tractors had varied success but the trend going into the mid-teens of the 1900s was "small" and "cheap".
From 1902 when IH was formed to the early 1920's, the McCormick and Deering dealerships kept their original brands unique, with Mogul tractors sold at McCormick dealers, and Titan tractors at Deering dealerships, due to the still present competitiveness of the former rivals.
The first important tractors from IH were the model 10-20 and 15-30. Introduced in 1915, the tractors (which were comparatively smaller than their predecessors) were primarily used as traction engines to pull plows and for belt work on threshing machines. The 10-20 and 15-30 both had separate, but similar, Mogul and Titan versions.
In 1924, IH introduced the Farmall tractor, a smaller general-purpose tractor, to fend off competition from the Ford Motor Company's Fordson tractors. The Farmall was the first tractor in the United States to incorporate a tricycle-like design (or row-crop front axle), which could be used on tall crops such as cotton and corn.

Following the introduction of the Farmall, IHC introduced several similar looking models that offered improvements over the original design (the original model became known as the "Regular").
Then, for model year 1939, industrial designer Raymond Lowey was hired to re-design the tractor. The new, sleek look, combined with other new features, created what is known as the "letter series" of tractors (A, B, BN, C, H, and M). The tractors were updated to the "super" series in the early fifties (with the exception of the A, which became a "super" in 1947, and the B and BN, which were discontinued in 1948) and received many improvements. Many of these tractors (especially the two largest: the M and H models, respectively) are still in operation on farms today. The letter series of tractors was produced until 1954, and was a defining product in IH history.
For 1955 in IH tractors, the numbered "hundred-series" was offered. Although given slightly different looks and few new features, they were essentially the famed "letter series" tractors. In 1957 IH gave the tractor lineup an overhaul. Although the tractor design wasn't changed, new white paint was added to the grill and sides and new number designations were given. This improved sales at the time, but IH's inability to change and update was already showing.^[2]
In July of 1958, IH started a major campaign to introduce a new line of tractors that many dealers hoped would turn around slumping sales. At the Hinsdale, Illinois Testing Farm, IH entertained over 12,000 dealers from over 25 countries. IH showed off their new "60" series of tractors: including the big, first of their kind, six-cylinder 460 and 560 tractors. But the joy of the new line of tractors was short lived. One of the first events that would eventually lead to the downfall of IH presented itself in 1959. In June of that year, IH recalled the 460, 560, and 660 tractors: final drive components had failed. IH, who wanted to be the first big-power manufacturer, had failed to drastically update the final drives on the new six-cylinder tractors. These final drives, which were essentially unchanged model "M" components, would fail rapidly under the stress of the more powerful 60-series tractors. IH's competitors took advantage of the recall, and IH would lose several customers in the ensuing months.²
Through out the 1960s IH would introduce new tractors, and new methods of selling them. As producing tractors was the lifeblood of the company, IH would have to remain competitive in this field. They both succeed and failed at his goal. But farming was about to change, and IH, along with competitors, were in for a bumpy ride.
1973 would see some important milestones for IH. On February 1, 1974 at 9A.M., the '5' millionth tractor came off the assembly line at the Farmall Plant in Illinois. IH was the first tractor manufacturer to accomplish this.² Also in 1973, IH officially dropped the "Farmall" name from its tractor. This ended an era that began with the first Farmall "Regular" back in 1924.
In 1977, IH introduced the first Axial-Flow rotary combine. This machine, produced at East Moline, IL, was the first generation of over 30 years of Axial-Flow combines.

Death of the Ag division

As the 1980s began, IH was ready to climb from its own depression and become a leader once more. IH would face a stable economy, yet it would face an unknown fate. In September of 1981, IH announced at a dealership meeting the new "50 Series" of tractors. These new tractors would prove once again that IH had the innovation to come out on top. The new stylish design of the "50 Series" would change the look of tractors forever. IH spent over 29 million to develop this new series, and the result was the last great lineup of tractors from IH.
There were many technology-related innovations put into the new series. A computer monitoring system called a Sentry, was developed, and IH became the first manufacturer to add a computer to a farm tractor. Other new innovations included a "z" shift pattern, an 18 speed synchronized transmission, a forward air flow cooling system, "Power Priority" 3-pump hydraulic system, color-coded hydraulic lines and controls, and a new rear-hitch system. The 50 Series had an unprecedented three-year or 2,500-hour engine and drive-train warranty, which would later become an industry standard. Although no new sales records were set, IH sold a respectable amount of these tractors during its short production time.
IH was well into the development of a new line of tractors that would revolutionize the ways of farming when the sale of the Ag division was announced. Many of these new features would find there way into the new series of MAGNUM tractors introduced by Case IH in 1987.²
In 1984 IH sold their agricultural equipment division to Tenneco, who then merged the division with their subsidiary J.I. Case to form Case IH, which presently manufactures agricultural equipment (under ownership of CNH Global).

Other agricultural products

Along with the prominent tractor division, IH also sold several different types of farm related equipment. These included: balers, cultivators, combines (self-propelled and pull behind), combine heads, corn shellers, cotton pickers, manure spreaders, hay rakes, crop dusters, disk harrows, elevators, feed grinders, hammer mills, hay conditioners, milking machines, planters, mills, and various miscellaneous equipment.^[3]
Also produced were twine, stationary engines, loaders, and wagons.³

Vehicles

Light duty

IH is often remembered as a maker of relatively successful and innovative “light” lines of vehicles, competing directly against the Big 3. The most common were pickup trucks. IH made light trucks from 1907 to 1975. The final light line truck was made on May 5, 1975.
IH had early success with the "Auto Buggy", a vehicle that started production in February, 1907. IHC later introduced the Auto Wagon, which would be renamed the Motor Truck. It was a forerunner product to the successful truck division.
One of their light duty vehicles was the Travelall, which was similar to a Chevrolet Suburban. The Travelette was a crew cab, available in 2 or 4 wheel drive. It was available starting in 1957, and was the first 6 passenger, 4 door truck of its time. The Scout was a small, 2 door SUV, similar to a Jeep. In 1972 the Scout became the Scout II, and in 1974 Dana 4x4 axles, power steering and power disk brakes became standard. After the trucks and Travelall were discontinued in 1975, the Scout Traveler and Terra became available; they were longer than a standard Scout II.
IH would abandon sales of passenger vehicles in 1980 to concentrate on commercial trucks and school buses. Today the pickups and Scouts are minor cult orphaned vehicles. All were available as rugged four-wheel drive off-road vehicles.
The Scout & Light Truck Parts Business was sold to Scout/Light Line Distributors,Inc. in 1991.

Medium/Heavy duty

IH was an early manufacturer of medium/heavy duty trucks. Although based upon truck chassis, IH also became the leading manufacturer of the chassis portion of body-on-chassis conventional (type C) school buses.
With the truck and engine divisions remaining following the 1985 sale of the agricultural division, International Harvester Company changed their corporate name to Navistar International in 1986. Today Navistar International's subsidiary, International Truck and Engine Corporation, manufactures and markets trucks and engines under the International brand name.
The ''Power Stroke'' diesel engine, which is a trade name of Ford Motors, is manufactured by International Truck and Engine Corporation, for use in Ford vans, trucks, and SUVs.
Heavy vehicles manufactured by International Harvester for military use include the 1942 M5 Tractor.

Home

Lawn and garden

IH branched out into the home lawn and garden business in the 1960s with its line of Cub Cadet equipment, which included riding and walk-behind lawn mowers and snow blowers. Also produced were compost shredders, rotary tillers, Cadet garden tractors, and power washers.
The Cub Cadet line was purchased by MTD Products.

Home appliances

Although best known for farm equipment, IH produced home appliances for farmers and non-farmers alike. This included refrigeration equipment such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and freezers. These products were introduced in 1947 and the division was sold to Whirlpool Corporation in 1955. Since the time of production was short, these appliances are rare today.^3[4]

See also

★ Farmall tractor

★ List of International Harvester vehicles

References

1. Farmall Eight Decades of Innovation, , Randy, Leffingwell, MBI Publishing, ,
2. International Harvester Tractors 1955-1985, , Kenneth, Updike, MBI Publishing, ,
3. 150 Years of International Harvester, , Charles, Wendel, Krause Publications, ,
4. Wisconsin Historical Society Frequently Asked Questions

External links

★ International Harvester Digest

★ The Binder Bulletin: all IH light trucks technical resource website

★ McCormick - International Harvester Collection

★ International Harvester information