International Harvester

History

Founding

The roots of International Harvester run to the 1830s, when Virginia inventor Cyrus Hall McCormick perfected his version of a horse-drawn reaper, which he field-demonstrated in 1831 and patented in 1834. He and his brother Leander J. McCormick moved to Chicago in 1847 to be closer to the Midwestern grain fields, and there founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The 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 territories. He developed a vast support network to demonstrate field operations. McCormick died in 1884 and his company passed 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 Harvesting Machine Co., Plano Manufacturing Co., and Warder, Bushnell, and Glessner—manufacturers of Champion brand) merged to create the International Harvester Company. The most important motivation for the merger was the elimination of competition to increase profits. Banker J. P. Morgan provided the financing. The architect of the merger was George W. Perkins, one of the Morgan executives who Cyrus McCormick described as the "most brilliant negotiator he had ever known." The new company was valued at $150 million.

After a few more years of squabbling the young International Harvester became a near monopoly in reapers, and a major factor in many other farm implements. In 1908 it made 700,000 harvesters worldwide, for $73 million. In addition to 25,000 IH employees there were 42,000 working in its local agencies all over the U.S. and parts of Europe. In 1919, IH bought the Parlin and Orendorff factory in Canton, Illinois, a leader in plow manufacturing, renaming it Canton Works.

Sustained success

In 1926, IH's Farmall Works built a new plant in Rock Island, Illinois. By 1930, the 100,000th Farmall was produced. IH next set their sights on introducing a true 'general-purpose' tractor to satisfy the needs of the average American family farmer. The resulting 'letter' series of Raymond Loewy-designed Farmall tractors in 1939 proved a huge success. IH dominated the market through the 1950s despite stiff competition from Ford, Allis-Chalmers, Massey Ferguson and John Deere.

IH ranked 33rd among United States corporations in the value of World War II production contracts. Different plants of the corporation produced torpedoes and their components, artillery systems and their parts, artillery shells and some civilian products for the military like bulldozers and truck engines. In 1946 IH acquired a defense plant in Louisville, Kentucky, which was adapted for production of the Farmall A, B, and the new 340 tractors. It acquired the Metropolitan Body Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1948. The commercially successful Metro line of forward control vans and trucks were produced here from 1938 until 1964.

In 1970, Pacific Trucks was purchased. In 1974, the five-millionth IHC tractor, a 1066, was produced at the Rock Island Farmall plant.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, despite good sales, IH's profit margins remained slim. The continual addition of unrelated business lines created a somewhat unwieldy corporate organization. Overly conservative management and a rigid policy of in-house promotion tended to stifle new management strategies and technical innovation. IH faced strong competition and increased production costs, primarily due to labor and government-imposed environmental and safety regulations.

Downfall

In 1977, International Harvester named Archie McCardell as its new CEO, who embarked on a strategy to drastically cut costs and improve profit margins. Unprofitable lines were terminated, and factory production was scaled back, resulting in profits reaching their highest levels in ten years by the end of the year, although cash reserves remained low. This strategy led to growing dissatisfaction among union members. In anticipation of labor disputes, IH braced for a strike. On November 1, 1979, just as the company announced a $1.8 million bonus for McCardell, the United Auto Workers called a strike the following day. The protracted strike eventually cost the company almost $600 million, equivalent to $2.7 billion in 2025.

By 1981, IH's finances were at their lowest point ever, and investors had lost faith in the company and its management. In 1982, Louis W. Menk, who was a former president and CEO of the Burlington Northern Railroad, was appointed as IH's new chairman and CEO. Under Menk's guidance, IH went through a twenty-month reorganization process, and he hired a new management team. Menk also ensured that IH made necessary cutbacks, and it involved the sale of the company's Payline division of construction equipment to Dresser Industries. Further assets were sold to Tenneco Inc., in 1984.

Following the merger, tractor production at Farmall Works ceased in 1985. Production of the new Case IH tractors moved to J.I. Case in Racine, Wisconsin. Production of IH Axial-Flow combines continued at the East Moline, Illinois, factory. The Memphis Works plant was closed. The truck and engine divisions remained and in 1986, Harvester changed the corporate name to Navistar International Corporation, having sold the International Harvester name to Tenneco. Navistar International Corporation continues to manufacture medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, and engines under the International brand name.

Divisions and products

Agriculture Division

The International Harvester Agricultural Division may have been second to the Truck Division but it was the best-known subsidiary. One of its early products was the Traction Engine, a frame manufactured by Morton Traction Truck Company (later bought by IHC) featuring an IHC engine.

From 1902 to the early 1920s, the McCormick and Deering dealerships kept their original branding with Mogul tractors sold by McCormick and Titan tractors at Deering due to the still-present competitiveness of the former rivals.

IH produced a range of large gasoline-powered farm tractors under the Mogul and Titan brands. Sold by McCormick dealers, the Type C Mogul was little more than a stationary engine on a tractor chassis, fitted with friction drive (one speed forward, one reverse). Between 1911 and 1914, 862 were built. These tractors had varied success but the trend going into the mid-1910s was toward "small" and "cheap".The company's first important tractors were the 10-20 and 15-30 models. Introduced in 1915, they were primarily used as traction engines to pull plows and for belt work on threshing machines. The 10-20 and 15-30 had similar Mogul and Titan versions.

Concurrently, IHC purchased a number of smaller competitors. Parlin & Orendorff (P&O Plow) and Chattanooga Plow were purchased in 1919. Other brand names they incorporated include Keystone, D.M. Osborne, Kemp, Meadows, Sterling, Weber, Plano, and Champion.

In 1924 IH introduced the Farmall, a smaller general-purpose tractor, to fend off competition from Ford Motor Company's Fordson tractors. Farmall was a leader in the emerging row-crop tractor segment.

Following IH's introduction of Farmall, they introduced several similarly styled "F Series" models while continuing to sell the original design as the "Regular."

In 1932, IH produced their first diesel engine for the McCormick-Deering TD-40 crawler. This engine would start on gasoline and then switch to diesel. Other diesel engines of this era were difficult to start in cold weather and using gasoline allowed the engine to thoroughly warm up first. In 1935, it was used in the WD-40, becoming the first diesel tractor on wheels in North America (the world's first diesel tractor was Germany's Benz-Sendling BS 6 in 1922).

Overview production figures International Harvester tractors

Other agricultural products

Along with its prominent tractor division, IH also sold several different types of farm-related equipment, such as balers, cultivators, combines (self-propelled and pull behind), stationary engines, wagons, combine heads, corn shellers, corn planter, cotton pickers, manure spreaders, hay rakes, crop dusters, disk harrows, elevators, feed grinders, hammer mills, hay conditioners, milking machines, planters, mills, discs, plows, baler twine, and other miscellaneous equipment.

Earthmoving division

IH built up its earthmoving division over time, buying companies and acquiring technology. Its heavy tractor range was an established offering, however IH wanted to offer innovative new construction technology. Significant moves included the purchase of the Frank G Hough company, which produced an iconic machine called a PayLoader, and the purchase of French company Yumbo, which produced hydraulic excavators.

Between 1956 and 1982 IH developed and sold a range of off-road dump trucks, which were known commercially as 'PayHaulers'.

International manufactured and sold an extensive range of heavy equipment. In 1974 IH renamed this division the 'Payline' division.

The original payloader model was literally a tractor with forks welded to the front. Frank Hough invented the concept and Hough's company worked closely with IH until it was purchased in 1952. The terminology came to mean any type of front loader machine, and loaders were manufactured in a number of styles, including wheeled and track loaders, rear wheel loaders, and an articulated steering design.

In the early 1950s, contractors worldwide began using motor scrapers as a means of shifting dirt. IH had a hole in its product range; it did not offer a motor scraper product to the market. One of IH's suppliers, a company named Heil Earthmovers, manufactured a range of scrapers called 'Heiliners.'

Rather than spend money on R&D and enter the market at a later date, in 1953 IH bought Heil's road machinery division, incorporating a range of motor and towed scrapers.

IH International had a supply agreement for its heavy tractor attachments with a

company called Bucyrus-Erie. Among a variety of attachment solutions, Bucyrus-Erie made a range of cable and hydraulically operated blades that fit International-Harvester track type tractors.

Road vehicles

Light duty trucks

IH is often remembered as a maker of relatively successful and innovative "light" lines of vehicles, competing directly against the Big Three. The most common were pickup trucks. IH made light trucks from 1907 to 1975, beginning with the Model A Auto Wagon (sometimes called the "Auto Buggy"). Production commenced in February 1907 at IH's McCormick Works in Chicago, although production was moved to Akron, Ohio, in October that year. Powered by a horizontally opposed, air-cooled twin around 15 hp (11 kW), it was a right-hand-drive model popular in rural areas for high ground clearance on the poor roads typical of the era. The displacement was 3,217 cc with a bore of 127 mm and a stroke of 127 mm. The wheelbase was 90 inches = 2286 mm. The front wheels had a size of 1.75 x 41 inches = 44.5 x 1041 mm. The rear wheels had a size of 1.75 x 45 inches = 44.5 x 1143 mm. The tank capacity was 7 gallons = 26 liters, sufficient for 75 to 100 miles = 120 to 160 kilometers. It featured a rear seat convertible to a carrier bed. The Auto Wagon was renamed the Motor Truck in 1910, and was a forerunner to the successful modern pickup truck. They were called IHC until 1914, when the 'International' name was first applied. The final light line truck was made on May 5, 1975.

Following the early success with the Auto Buggy, International released their K and KB series trucks in the mid-1940s. They were simpler and sturdier than other trucks released in that era. This was followed by the L series in 1949, which was replaced by the R series in 1952, followed by the S series (a name re-used later for IH's larger medium-duty trucks) in 1955. In 1957, to celebrate IH's golden anniversary as a truck manufacturer, this was replaced by the new A line. 'A' stands for anniversary. With light modifications to its appearance, but more serious changes under the shell (and a number of new names), this design continued in production until replaced by the 1100D in late 1969, which looked very similar to the Scout already in production.

Corresponding with the truck "letter lines" was the Metro line of step (delivery) vans. Starting in 1938 and manufactured through 1975, the Metro series was produced and updated with each iteration of IH's truck lines. Also, special-use variants were sold, such as the Metro Coach (a bus version with windows and passenger seats) and Metro front-end section and chassis for full commercial customization. Additional variants were based on the medium-duty engine and chassis lines.

IH abandoned sales of passenger vehicles in 1980 to concentrate on commercial trucks and school buses.

Motorhomes

In the 1970s, motorhomes were manufactured using IHC engines and bare chassis. Most of the bodies were constructed of fiberglass.

Commercial trucks (Truck and Engine Division)

International Harvester was an early manufacturer of medium- and 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. In 1962, IH offered the International Harvester Loadstar, which became the premier medium-duty truck. In 1978, IH offered the International Harvester S-Series, which replaced the Loadstar in 1979.

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. From 1983 to 2010, Ford Motor Company offered International V8 diesel engines in heavy-duty pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs (using the Power Stroke name after 1994).

The following truck models are known from the 1920s.

S-24 (1926–1930) 1,5 t

S-26 (1926–1930) 1,5 t

SF-34 (1926–1929) 2 t

SF-36 (1926–1929) 2 t

SL-34 (1927–1928) 2 t

In 1961, the DCO-400 "Emeryville" model line was expanded with a conventional; officially named the D-400, the model line shared its cab with the COE and was the first International conventional produced with a tilting hood.

In 1962, International began to phase out the R-line series of trucks (dating to 1953). In place of a comprehensive model line ranging from half-ton pickup trucks to its largest Class 8 trucks, International introduced two purpose-built model lines for commercial use. Slotted above its Light Line pickup trucks, the Loadstar was a medium-duty conventional-cab truck. For 1963, International introduced the heavier-duty Fleetstar, a short-hood conventional slotted between the Loadstar and the heavier-duty R and V-Line conventionals. While no longer serving as a comprehensive model range, the Loadstar shared its cab with the A-series pickup truck (and its derivatives); as a cowled chassis, the Loadstar was produced for bus use (the IHC Schoolmaster). Sharing only its name with its conventional-cab namesake, the Loadstar CO was a low-cab COE (with a forward-tilting cab).

Overseas subsidiaries

Australia

International Harvester Australia, a subsidiary of the US manufacturer, had a long relationship with the Australian Army with the US-designed AS series trucks in the early 1950s. The AS164 4x2 was used as a tractor unit and the 4x2 AS161 was used as a trayback troop transport.

The association between International Harvester Australia and the Australian Army developed and in conjunction with the Army Design Establishment of the Australian Commonwealth Department of Supply, designed and constructed a range of trucks for the Australian Army. With the body loosely based upon the design of cab 13 of the Canadian Military Pattern truck, the first prototype built in 1959 was the International Truck Cargo 2+1⁄2 Ton General Service, Australian No.1 Mk1. which was followed by the Mk2 prototype. A variant with a midmounted, 20,000-lb winch, resulted in the first production model, the Mk3 entering service in 1963 – just in time for Australia's entry into the Vietnam War.

A five-ton 6×6 version followed with three major variants: the Truck Cargo 5 Ton with winch F1 which replaced the Mk3 in Vietnam service. The F2 was a tipper version that replaced the International Harvester AB160 "teaspoon Tipper" in both the Vietnam and Borneo theatres of operations. The F5 wrecker with a lack of 4×4 2+1⁄2 ton trucks available because of the Vietnam War, the Mk3 was supplemented with further 4×4 production with the updated Mk4 version which shared the cab with the 6×6 variants. Production of the Australian No. 1 range of trucks continued until 1973. The Mk3, Mk4, F1, F2 and F5 saw service until the late 1980s.

The Australian-designed and built International Australian A-line Cab Over (AACO) was first produced in the late 1960s and later in 1972 the Australian C-line Cab Over (ACCO). The ACCO is a cab over engine type truck and has been offered in 4x2, 4x4, 6x2, 6x4, 8x4, and 10x4 configurations. Engines used were Cummins, Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel, Perkins, Neuss or GMC with Road-Ranger or Allison transmissions and Rockwell differentials. The ACCO range was built to order, serving private operators, fire departments, military services, and municipal departments across Australia and New Zealand. The cabs for NZ assembled Accos were welded, painted, wired, glazed and trimmed, using locally sourced parts and materials, by Steel's Motor Assemblies, formed by the parent truck trailer making company in the mid-1960s to assemble Prince/Nissan Gloria sedans and later also assembled Toyota Corona sedans and other models. Upholstery vinyl was shared with the contemporary Toyota cars. The ACCO became the most popular product of International Harvester in Australia. The ACCO was discontinued in November 2019 and replaced by a locally built European-designed ACCO, under the ownership of Iveco.

Brazilian subsidiary

International Harvester Máquinas S.A. was established with Brazilian government support as part of a project to develop a vehicle industry there. Their first product was the International S-184 heavy truck. In 1966 Chrysler purchased International's Brazilian plant.

Home products

Home appliances

Although best known for farm equipment, IH produced home appliances for farmers and nonfarmers alike. This included refrigeration equipment such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and freezers. IH had a refrigeration division of its own, as did other vehicle manufacturers of the time: Ford had Philco, Chrysler had Airtemp, General Motors had Frigidaire, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation (and then American Motors) had Kelvinator, Studebaker had the Franklin Appliance Company, and Crosley had Crosley.

The IH appliance division had originally been developed to manufacture commercial-grade items to farmers, most of whom had just received electricity by way of the many electrification projects in the U.S. before and after World War II. Among the offerings were milk coolers and walk-in freezers for produce and meat. Later on, IH courted the farmer's wife with kitchen refrigerators available in the latest designer styles. The IH spokeswoman for these products was Irma Harding, a factory trademark. These products were introduced in 1947 and sold for less than 10 years. The refrigeration division was sold to Whirlpool Corporation in 1955. Since the duration of production was short, IH appliances are rare today.

On the American sitcom Friends, the refrigerator in Monica's apartment is a circa 1950 International Harvester. Several close-ups can be seen in Season 8, Episode 17, "TOW The Tea Leaves."

Lawn and garden

IH branched out into the home lawn and garden business in 1961 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 sold to MTD Products in 1981.

Other products

Defense

IH manufactured light, medium, and heavy vehicles for military use. Examples include a Metro van sold to the Czechoslovak Army in 1938, M5 tractors and 2.5-ton M-5H-6 trucks for the US Navy and Marines in 1942, and around 3,500 2.5 ton M-5-6-318 cargo trucks provided mostly to the Soviet Union and China.

In early 1951, the United States Army through the Springfield Armory contracted International Harvester to produce M1 rifles, and from 1953 to 1956 IH produced 337,623 rifles in total, according to the Army Ordnance Department.

HT-341

In 1959, International Harvester created a jet turbine-powered tractor called the International HT-341. It was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1967.

Leadership

President

Cyrus Hall McCormick, 1902–1918

Harold Fowler McCormick, 1918–1922

Alexander Legge, 1922–1929

Herbert F. Perkins, 1929–1931

Alexander Legge, 1931–1933

Addis E. McKinstry, 1933–1935

Sydney G. McAllister, 1935–1941

Harold Fowler McCormick Jr., 1941–1946

John L. McCaffrey, 1946–1956

Peter V. Moulder, 1956–1957

Frank W. Jenks, 1957–1962

Harry O. Bercher, 1962–1968

Brooks McCormick, 1968–1978

Archie R. McCardell, 1978–1979

Warren J. Hayford, 1979–1982

Donald D. Lennox, 1982–1984

Neil A. Springer, 1984

Chairman of the Board

Charles Deering, 1904–1918

Cyrus Hall McCormick, 1918–1935

Harold Fowler McCormick, 1935–1941

Judson F. Stone, 1941–1946

Harold Fowler McCormick Jr., 1946–1956

John L. McCaffrey, 1956–1968

Harry O. Bercher, 1968–1977

Brooks McCormick, 1977–1979

Archie R. McCardell, 1979–1982

Louis W. Menk, 1982–1983

Donald D. Lennox, 1983