Allis-Chalmers facts for kids

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Allis-Chalmers

Industry	Industrial machinery, grain-milling machinery, power plant equipment, mining equipment, agricultural machinery, heavy equipment (construction)
Successor	AGCO, Allis-Chalmers Energy
Founded	West Allis, Wisconsin (1901)
Headquarters	U.S. based, global exports
Products	Generators, engine-generators, tractors, threshers, combines, farm implements, bulldozers, milling machinery, others

Allis-Chalmers was a big company in the U.S. that made many kinds of machinery. They built equipment for different industries, including farm equipment, construction machines, and tools for making power. They also made machinery for factories, flour mills, sawmills, and mines.

The first Allis-Chalmers Company started in 1901. It was formed by joining four smaller companies that made different types of machines. These included steam engines, mill equipment, mining tools, and rock-crushing machines. In 1912, the company changed its name to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company. For the next 70 years, their industrial machines were used in many places around the world. People also knew them for their bright orange tractors and silver combine harvesters used on farms.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the company began to sell off parts of its business. Eventually, it broke up into other companies. Today, its main successors are Allis-Chalmers Energy and AGCO.

History

How it Started

Allis-Chalmers grew by combining smaller companies and building on their ideas. These companies mostly focused on working with metal and making machines. They joined together because of both money successes and problems.

One expert said that Allis-Chalmers was like a "conglomerate" before that word was even common. A conglomerate is a big company that owns many different types of businesses. Even though Allis-Chalmers made machines, they were involved in many different areas.

Early Years (1800s to 1901)

Edward P. Allis was a smart businessman. In 1860, he bought a struggling company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This company made equipment for flour mills. Under Allis, the company started making steam engines and other mill equipment. This was a good time because many sawmills and flour mills were switching to steam power.

Even after some money problems, Edward P. Allis's company kept growing. He hired experts like William Gray, who changed how flour was milled, and Edwin Reynolds, who worked with steam engines. When Allis died in 1889, his sons continued the business. By 1900, it was one of America's biggest makers of steam engines.

Gates Iron Works, Interior, 1896. This company later joined Allis-Chalmers.

Thomas Chalmers came to the U.S. from Scotland. In 1844, he worked for a company in Chicago, Illinois, that made farm tools and flour-milling equipment. In 1872, Thomas Chalmers started his own company, Fraser & Chalmers. They made mining machines, boilers, and pumps. By 1890, it was one of the world's largest makers of mining equipment. Another company, the Gates Iron Works, also made rock-crushing machines.

The Dickson family, another Scottish family, started a machine shop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1852. By 1900, their company, the Dickson Manufacturing Company, built boilers, steam engines, and locomotives.

By 1901, the leaders of the Edward P. Allis, Fraser & Chalmers, and Gates companies decided to merge. They also bought the industrial engine part of Dickson's business. This created the Allis-Chalmers Company.

Growing the Company (1901–1911)

Allis-Chalmers Bisbee converter for smelting copper ore, 1902

A rotary cement kiln built by Allis-Chalmers, 1910

The new company's main leaders were Charles Allis and William J. Chalmers. Soon after the merger, a new factory was built west of Milwaukee. This area was later renamed West Allis, Wisconsin, after the company.

An Allis-Chalmers alternator in a power plant, 1911

Allis-Chalmers now offered a huge range of equipment. This included machines for smelting and refining metals, ore milling equipment, and different kinds of crushers. They also provided services like helping companies design plants, set up machines, and train workers.

In 1903, Allis-Chalmers bought the Bullock Electric Company. This added steam turbines to their power plant equipment business.

New Directions (1912-1919)

An Allis-Chalmers Corliss type stationary engine.

By 1912, Allis-Chalmers was having money problems. So, it was reorganized and renamed the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company. Otto Falk was put in charge to fix things. Falk wanted to create new products and find new markets. He saw a big chance for growth in mechanized farming.

Allis-Chalmers made its first farm tractors between 1914 and 1919. They also added more farm tools to their product line.

The Roaring Twenties (1920s)

An Allis-Chalmers tractor advertisement from 1921, showing models 6-12, 12-20, and 18-30

A United tractor on display. This model later became the Allis-Chalmers Model U.

A 1939 Allis-Chalmers Model U tractor.

The 1920s were a time when many companies joined together. It was also a time when farms in North America used more and more machines. Allis-Chalmers continued to make new tractors like the 18-30 and the United tractor.

A famous inventor, Nikola Tesla, worked for Allis-Chalmers in Milwaukee from 1919 to 1922.

In 1926, Harry Merritt joined Allis-Chalmers. He helped turn around the company's farm equipment business. It became the main part of the company that made money.

In 1926, Allis-Chalmers bought Nordyke Marmon & Company, which made flour-milling equipment. In 1927, they bought Pittsburgh Transformer Company, which made electrical transformers.

In 1928, Allis-Chalmers bought Monarch Tractor Company, adding crawler tractors to their products. In 1929, they bought La Crosse Plow Works, which added good plows and other farm tools.

Also in 1929, Harry Merritt saw bright orange California poppy flowers. He thought bright colors would be great for marketing farm equipment. He changed the color of Allis-Chalmers tractors to Persian Orange. This started the tradition of orange Allis-Chalmers tractors. Other companies soon started using bright colors too.

The Great Depression and Beyond (1930s)

A two-row corn picker made by Allis-Chalmers.

The 1930s were a very important time for the company. Even with the Great Depression, Allis-Chalmers did well because people still needed their machines.

In 1931, they bought Advance-Rumely. This was mainly to get their large network of dealers, which helped Allis-Chalmers sell more farm equipment. Also in 1931, Allis-Chalmers expanded its electrical equipment business by buying the U.S. operations of Brown, Boveri & Cie.

In 1932, Allis-Chalmers worked with Firestone to put rubber tires on tractors. This was a big change! It made tractors use less fuel and pull better. Within five years, rubber tires were on about half of all new tractors. Also in 1932, Allis-Chalmers bought Ryan Manufacturing Company, adding graders to their construction equipment.

In 1933, Allis-Chalmers introduced its Model WC, a popular row-crop tractor. In 1937, they released the Model B, which was lighter and cheaper, and also sold very well. Their All-Crop Harvester was a top seller for pull-type (tractor-drawn) combine harvesters.

World War II and After (1940s)

World War II made Allis-Chalmers very busy. Like many companies, they focused on making things for the war. They built machines for naval ships, like steam engines, steam turbines, and generators. They also made artillery tractors and other equipment for the army. Allis-Chalmers also helped build equipment for the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb.

Right after the war, in 1945–1946, Allis-Chalmers had a long, 11-month labor strike. Some people believe the company never fully recovered from this, as it gave competitors a chance to gain market share.

In 1948, the popular Model WC tractor was improved and became the Model WD. This was an important tractor for the company. It had a special power take-off system and adjustable rear wheels. Nearly 150,000 of these tractors were made.

New Power and Growth (1950s)

The 1950s saw a demand for more powerful farm tractors with better hydraulic and electrical systems. Many machines, from trains to tractors, also started using diesel engines. In 1953, Allis-Chalmers bought the Buda Engine Company to get their line of diesel engines.

In 1952, the company bought Laplant-Choate, adding scrapers to its construction equipment.

In 1953, the WD-45 tractor was introduced, replacing the WD. It had more horsepower. A new Snap-Coupler hitch allowed farmers to connect tools from the tractor seat. A diesel version of the WD-45 came out in 1955.

In 1955, the company bought Gleaner Manufacturing Company. This was a big step for their combine harvester business. Allis-Chalmers was already a leader in pull-type combines. Buying Gleaner meant they would also be a leader in self-propelled combines. Gleaner's profits were a huge help to Allis-Chalmers for many years.

In 1957, the Allis-Chalmers D Series of tractors was launched and became very successful.

In 1959, Allis-Chalmers bought the French company Vendeuvre and Tractomotive Corporation, which made auxiliary equipment.

Challenges and Changes (1960s and 1970s)

In the 1960s, the farm equipment, construction equipment, and heavy electrical industries became less profitable for Allis-Chalmers. While farm equipment still did reasonably well, the company was often third or fourth in its markets, behind bigger competitors like John Deere and Caterpillar.

In 1965, Allis-Chalmers bought Simplicity for its lawn and garden equipment. Also in 1965, they built the SAFARI-1 nuclear research reactor.

In 1974, Allis-Chalmers's construction equipment business joined with Fiat SpA to form a new company called Fiat-Allis. Fiat owned most of it.

In 1977, Allis-Chalmers started importing small diesel tractors from Japan, rebranding them for U.S. sales.

In 1978, they formed a joint company with Siemens, called Siemens-Allis, to make electrical control equipment.

The End of an Era (1980s and 1990s)

The 1980s were tough for the company. They had to sell off major parts of their business due to money problems.

In 1983, Allis-Chalmers sold its Simplicity lawn and garden equipment division.

1985 was a year of big changes for Allis-Chalmers:

The Fiat-Allis construction equipment partnership ended when Fiat bought Allis-Chalmers's share. It was renamed Fiatallis.
The Allis-Chalmers farm equipment business was sold to K-H-D (a German company). It was renamed Deutz-Allis.
The Siemens-Allis electrical controls partnership ended when Siemens bought Allis-Chalmers's share.

In 1988, Allis-Chalmers sold its American Air Filter business, which made air filtration products.

In 1990, Deutz-Allis was sold and became Allis-Gleaner Corporation (AGCO). Tractors were sold under the AGCO-Allis name and were painted Persian Orange again. The AGCO-Allis brand was phased out in 2011.

In 1998, the last parts of Allis-Chalmers's manufacturing businesses were sold. In 1999, the company officially closed its Milwaukee offices. The remaining service businesses became Allis-Chalmers Energy in Houston, Texas.

Brand Reuse (2000 to Present)

In 2008, Briggs & Stratton announced they would sell lawn tractors using the Allis-Chalmers brand name.

Former Sites

Bricks from the Allis-Chalmers West Allis, WI Factory

An Allis-Chalmers Engine Block

Location	Purpose	Other Facts
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Corporate offices
West Allis, Wisconsin	Wheeled Tractor Plant, Power and Industrial Equipment
Appleton, Wisconsin	Paper Making Machinery Plant
Independence, Missouri	Gleaner Combine Plant	Site inherited from Gleaner Manufacturing Company
La Porte, Indiana	Harvest Equipment and Mower Plant	Site inherited from Advance-Rumely
La Crosse, Wisconsin	Farm Implement Plant	Site inherited from La Crosse Plow Works
Terra Haute, Indiana	Switchgear Assembly, Transformer Tanks, Transformers
Gadsden, Alabama	Rear Engine Tractor and Electrical Transformer Plant
Springfield, Illinois	Crawler Tractor, Motor Grader, Bulldozer, and Snow plow Plant	Site inherited from the Monarch Tractor Company acquisition
Deerfield, Illinois	Wheeled Loader and Tractor Shovel Plant	Site inherited from the Tractomotive Corporation acquisition
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin	Wheeled Loader and Tractor Shovel Plant, Fuel Cell R&D Center
Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Motor Scraper, Pull-Type Scraper, Motor Wagon Plant
Norwood, Ohio	Pumps and Motors	Purchased by Siemens Corporation in 1985 and still presently operating
York, Pennsylvania	Hydraulic Turbines and Valves	Now owned by Voith and still operating
Oxnard, California	Special Deep Tillage Tools
Harvey, Illinois	Fork Lift Truck, Diesel, Natural Gas, Butane, and Gasoline Engine Plant	Site inherited from the Buda Engine acquisition
St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada	Electric Motor and Diesel Locomotive Controls
Lachine, Quebec, Canada	Industrial Equipment
Boston, Massachusetts	Circuit Breakers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Electrical Transformers
Lexington, South Carolina	Lawn and Garden Equipment, Terra Tiger plant

Agricultural Machinery

Allis-Chalmers made a full range of farm machines, from tools for preparing the soil to tractors and harvesting equipment.

Tractor Models

In 1959, a team built a fuel cell tractor for Allis-Chalmers. This was the first vehicle ever powered by a fuel cell. It was shown at state fairs across the U.S. The original Allis-Chalmers fuel cell tractor is now at the Smithsonian museum.

Below are some of the tractors Allis-Chalmers made, many in their famous orange color.

A-C Model 20-35
A-C Model B
A-C Model G
1939 A-C Model WC
A-C Model WD
A-C Model WD45
A-C Model D15
A-C Model D17 pulling a 12' Spring-Tooth Harrow
A-C Model D21 Series II
A-C Model 160
A-C Model 7060 in Wisconsin
A-C model 4W-305, the most powerful Ag tractor built by the company

Balers

An Allis-Chalmers Roto Baler

An Allis-Chalmers Small Square Baler

The first baler, called the "Roto-Baler," came out in 1947. It was an early version of modern round balers, but made much smaller bales. Allis-Chalmers also made many models of small square balers.

Combine Harvesters

Allis-Chalmers first made their pull-type "all-crop harvester" in 1933 for farmers to harvest their crops. In 1955, Allis-Chalmers bought the Gleaner Baldwin/Gleaner Manufacturing Company. This added Gleaner's self-propelled combine harvesters to their product line.

1958 A-C Model "60" All-Crop Harvester
1965 Gleaner Model "E" Combine
Gleaner Model "L2"

Industrial Construction Equipment

The company made several types of machines for moving earth and building, such as:

Road graders
Tracked bulldozers
Tracked loaders
Forklifts
And others

A-C model HD20 with Hydraulic bulldozer blade
A-C model W road grader
A-C model HD20 crawler tractor with cable-actuated bulldozer blade
An Allis-Chalmers road grader

Industrial and Power House Equipment

Allis-Chalmers sold many types of industrial and power plant equipment. This included turbo generators and electrical switchgear. From the 1920s to the 1960s, their power plant equipment competed with big companies like General Electric. Allis-Chalmers made large hydro-electric generators and turbines, many of which are still used today.

They also made different kinds of electrical switchgear and substation transformers.

Allis-Chalmers also produced a wide range of ore crushing equipment for the mining industry for many years.

In 1965, Allis-Chalmers built "Big Allis" (also known as Ravenswood No. 3). This is the biggest generator in New York, located in Queens. It can produce 1000 megawatts of power and is still working today.

An earlier Allis-Chalmers electric generator
Allis-Chalmers Steam Generator Turbines being assembled
An Allis-Chalmers Steam Turbine with its housing removed, 1929
An Allis-Chalmers power generator at White River Power Plant, Washington State, 1925

Lawn and Outdoor Machinery

Allis-Chalmers Model SP Lawn Mower

Side view of an A-C Terra Tiger

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Allis-Chalmers started making lawn and outdoor equipment.

All-Terrain Vehicles

Allis-Chalmers made a line of 6-wheeled Amphibious ATVs called the "Terra Tiger." These vehicles could travel on land and water.

Fuel Cell Golf Carts

In 1965, Allis-Chalmers also built hydrogen-fueled fuel cell golf carts.

Military Machinery

Allis-Chalmers produced various machines for military use:

M1 tractor medium model HD7W
M1 tractor heavy model HD10W
M4 Tractor high speed 18-ton artillery tractor (made from 1943)
M6 Tractor high speed 38-ton (artillery tractor)
M7 Snow Tractor
M19 snow trailer, 1-ton
M50 Ontos – a light anti-tank vehicle (297 units made from 1955 to 1957)
Steam turbines – Allis-Chalmers built the steam turbines that powered the USS Coontz DLG-9 (later DDG-40) and other U.S. Navy ships.

Allis-Chalmers M4 High Speed Tractor
Allis-Chalmers M6 High-Speed Tractor
A-C Model HD-15A Bulldozer

Allis-Chalmers Energy

Allis-Chalmers Energy was a company based in Houston that offered many services for oil and natural gas exploration. It provided equipment and services to companies looking for oil and gas around the world. In 2011, it merged with another company called Seawell and became Archer.