Intercontinental Manufacturing Company
Encyclopedia
The Intercontinental Manufacturing Company (IMCO) was formed in the Dallas, Texas
area in 1948 by Harold J. Silver and Robert F. Yonash
, initially to fulfill an order from Argentina for tractors. IMCO soon changed focus to defense subcontracting, where it remains today.
engine, and a Timken Company
transaxle
assembly. The bad news was that it was now May, and the contract required delivery by January 1, 1949. Any delay and the sales would probably be lost to established manufacturers.
Silver went in search of a supplier. The Republic National Bank of Dallas referred him to Robert F. Yonash
, who had listed himself as a business consultant with the bank. Silver hired Yonash to attend a meeting of the project participants to get things organized. The meeting was in a hotel. When Bob got to the room, the meeting participants were yelling at each other so loudly that they couldn’t hear him knocking on the door. Finally, he got in and got things calmed down. When he started asking questions, he found out that there was a mixture of languages in the room, and no one person had enough languages to talk to the entire room. Several people had two or more, so they had to translate for the others. This meeting eventually led to the tractor that was the foundation for the Intercontinental Manufacturing Company (IMCO).
Bob thought it ought to be worth a fat fee to pull this deal out of the fire and turn out a finished product with fairly high volume in seven months. The Intercontinental Manufacturing Company, which at that point existed only in a briefcase, didn't disagree, but their doubts that it could be done were apparent when they scaled back Bob' s salary request and offered him $5 for each tractor delivered on time instead.
Bob managed to get commitments from the suppliers, and then arranged with the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company (TEMCO) to do the assembly at its Garland, Texas
facility. By October production was flowing smoothly, another 1500 tractors had been sold to Brazil, and the Intercontinental Manufacturing Company was off and running with Silver as President and Yonash as V.P. of Production.
engine. This was Models D-E and D-F.
plant in Dallas where its tractors were being assembled. In March, 1949, IMCO leased the Garland, Texas
facility of the Southern Aircraft Corporation (SAC), which had gone bankrupt earlier that year. In the process, IMCO also acquired SAC's inventory. When the facility became available for purchase the next year from the War Assets Administration
and the Public Buildings Agency, IMCO bought it. In addition to moving its tractor assembly from TEMCO and opening a second line, IMCO produced several products at the Garland facility:
. The terms of the lease were $1 a year for 20 years on the condition that BAA provide a minimum of 500 jobs within six months. By the time of its first anniversary, BAA had 1300 employees with a payroll of $3,500,000 per year and was still growing. This success was due in part to contracts with the Glenn L. Martin Company
and Boeing
.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
area in 1948 by Harold J. Silver and Robert F. Yonash
Robert F. Yonash
Robert F. Yonash was an engineer in the early days of the aircraft industry. He was a member of the start-up management team for the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company , which eventually became the "T" in the conglomerate Ling-Temco-Vought...
, initially to fulfill an order from Argentina for tractors. IMCO soon changed focus to defense subcontracting, where it remains today.
Intercontinental C-26 tractor
In 1948, Harold J. Silver, a New York business man with connections in Argentina, had obtained a firm order for 3000 tractors there and had a letter of credit guaranteeing payment as soon as they were delivered dockside. The tractors were to be made of components from various sources, including Nateco (National Equipment Company of Texas) tractor base, a Continental Motors CompanyContinental Motors Company
Continental Motors Company was an American engine and automobile manufacturer. The company produced engines for various independent manufacturers of automobiles, tractors, and stationary equipment from the 1900s through the 1960s. Continental Motors also produced Continental-branded automobiles in...
engine, and a Timken Company
Timken Company
The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies.- History :The company was founded by Henry Timken in St. Louis, Missouri in 1899 and incorporated as The Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company. A year earlier, in 1898, Timken got a patent...
transaxle
Transaxle
In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....
assembly. The bad news was that it was now May, and the contract required delivery by January 1, 1949. Any delay and the sales would probably be lost to established manufacturers.
Silver went in search of a supplier. The Republic National Bank of Dallas referred him to Robert F. Yonash
Robert F. Yonash
Robert F. Yonash was an engineer in the early days of the aircraft industry. He was a member of the start-up management team for the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company , which eventually became the "T" in the conglomerate Ling-Temco-Vought...
, who had listed himself as a business consultant with the bank. Silver hired Yonash to attend a meeting of the project participants to get things organized. The meeting was in a hotel. When Bob got to the room, the meeting participants were yelling at each other so loudly that they couldn’t hear him knocking on the door. Finally, he got in and got things calmed down. When he started asking questions, he found out that there was a mixture of languages in the room, and no one person had enough languages to talk to the entire room. Several people had two or more, so they had to translate for the others. This meeting eventually led to the tractor that was the foundation for the Intercontinental Manufacturing Company (IMCO).
Bob thought it ought to be worth a fat fee to pull this deal out of the fire and turn out a finished product with fairly high volume in seven months. The Intercontinental Manufacturing Company, which at that point existed only in a briefcase, didn't disagree, but their doubts that it could be done were apparent when they scaled back Bob' s salary request and offered him $5 for each tractor delivered on time instead.
Bob managed to get commitments from the suppliers, and then arranged with the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company (TEMCO) to do the assembly at its Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
facility. By October production was flowing smoothly, another 1500 tractors had been sold to Brazil, and the Intercontinental Manufacturing Company was off and running with Silver as President and Yonash as V.P. of Production.
Intercontinental diesel tractor
IMCO also produced a diesel version of the tractor, powered by a Buda Engine Co.Buda Engine Co.
Buda Engine was founded in 1881. Based in Harvey, Illinois, Buda manufactured engines for industrial, truck, and marine applications. Early Buda engines were gasoline fueled. Later, diesel engines were introduced, utilizing proprietary Lanova cylinder head designs, injection pumps and nozzles....
engine. This was Models D-E and D-F.
Switch to defense production of aircraft components
By 1951, IMCO had switched its emphasis to approximately ninety percent defense production of aircraft components. Aircraft components produced in IMCO's early days included:- B-36 trailing edges
- P5M-1 wings
- B-47 tank support
- F4U aft section
- Bell Helicopter center frame
Acquisition of the Southern Aircraft plant in Garland
Initially, IMCO's offices were in space subleased from TEMCO in the old North American AviationNorth American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
plant in Dallas where its tractors were being assembled. In March, 1949, IMCO leased the Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
facility of the Southern Aircraft Corporation (SAC), which had gone bankrupt earlier that year. In the process, IMCO also acquired SAC's inventory. When the facility became available for purchase the next year from the War Assets Administration
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...
and the Public Buildings Agency, IMCO bought it. In addition to moving its tractor assembly from TEMCO and opening a second line, IMCO produced several products at the Garland facility:
- Aircraft parts, including engine mounts for the B-36 bomber on a subcontract with Consolidated-Vultee
- Bus bodies for Cuba and Greece under the Marshall PlanMarshall PlanThe Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
- Farm implements for Brazil and other countries
Brady Aviation Corporation
In October 1951, IMCO started a subsidiary, Brady Aviation Corporation (BAA), at the Curtis Airfield in Brady, TexasBrady, Texas
Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. Brady refers to itself as "The Heart of Texas", as it is the closest city to the geographical center of the state. The population was 5,523 at the 2000 census...
. The terms of the lease were $1 a year for 20 years on the condition that BAA provide a minimum of 500 jobs within six months. By the time of its first anniversary, BAA had 1300 employees with a payroll of $3,500,000 per year and was still growing. This success was due in part to contracts with the Glenn L. Martin Company
Glenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
and Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
.
IMCO Timeline
- 1948 Formed in Garland, TexasGarland, Texas-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
: producing tractors, farm implements, busses, and motor coaches - 1949 Purchased the former Southern Aircraft facility in Garland, Texas
- 1951 Business now 90% defense production of aircraft components
- 1951 Brady Aviation Corporation subsidiary formed
- 1955 IMCO sold to unknown buyer(s)
- 1964 American Hydrocarbon acquired IMCO from Lionel Corporation
- 1967 Intercontinental Industries holding company formed in Florida primarily to operate IMCO
- 1968 Acquired by International Controls CorporationInternational Controls CorporationInternational Controls Corporation was an American holding company incorporated in 1965. Before being taken private in 1997, its subsidiaries included Checker Motors Corporation and Great Dane Trailers...
, owner of Datron Systems - 1988 ICC sold subsidiary Datron Systems to the new company Datron, Inc.
- 2003 General Dynamics acquired IMCO from Datron, Inc.
External links
- Intercontinental Manufacturing Company brochure, ~1951
- Intercontinental C-26 Tractor (based on personal memories of Bob Yonash)
- Intercontiental C26 (Spanish article)