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1809 to present day
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1809 |
Feb 15, a son is born to
Robert Hall McCormick and his wife (Mary Anne), in Rockbridge
County, Va. U.S.A. He was later Christened Cyrus Hall McCormick,
and was the eldest of the 8 McCormick children. |
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1831 |
At age 22 young Cyrus takes over the
design of his fathers unsuccessful reaper.
In a six week
period he redesigned, built, tested and remodeled his design in the
family smithy at Walnut Grove.
Reaper is successfully
demonstrated on a neighbours farm at Steeles Tavern in late
July.
Cyrus carried out several changes to design before
patenting the machine in 1834.
Earlier in June Cyrus had been
Granted a patent for a cast and wrought iron plough. “The Patent
Hill Side Plow” enjoyed a good reputation in the valley of Virginia
at the time. |
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1847 |
Demand for McCormick's reaper became
greater than the Walnut Grove smithy could produce.
Cyrus
formed a partnership with C.M. Gray to purchase lots on the north
bank of the Chicago river.
Immediately a factory is
constructed to produce 500 reapers for the 1848 harvest (This site
later became the corporate h/q for International harvester at
Michigan Avenue) |
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1851 |
McCormick reaper wins the
“Grand council Medal” at The Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace,
London. Over the next several years McCormick's reaper won first
awards at the Hamburg, Vienna and Paris Expositions.
Cyrus
Hall McCormick was elected an officer of the French Legion of Honour
and was made a member of the French academy of Science. |
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1871 |
Great Chicago fire Destroys the
McCormick reaper works, (but the company safe was retrieved with all
records intact).
After insurance settlements the fire cost
Cyrus a personal loss of $600,000.
In August 1872 ground was
broken for a new factory which was completed in February 1873. |
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1881 |
In the 50th anniversary year of his
invention of the reaper, McCormick won First Prize from the
Prestigious Royal Agricultural society, following a four day trial
of his first twine binder at Derby, England. |
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1884 |
May 13, Cyrus Hall McCormick
dies.
Cyrus is survived by his wife "Nettie Fowler McCormick"
and his brother Leander (who joined him in partnership in
1856).
In the year of his death his company, the “McCormick
Harvesting Machine Co” sold 54,841 machines, and introduced the
McCormick steel twine binder, (previous m/c’s having been of mainly
wooden construction)
As well as being an inventor he is also
widely regarded as being an innovator of good business practices,
some of his innovations were :
Being the fist manufacturer to
offer a written warranty.
To provide training/education to
customers on how to use his products and get the best from them.
To set on a sales force to canvass door to door.
Using
advertising to expand his business.
Using collection agents to
collect overdues. |
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1900 |
McCormick Harvesting Co set up
a general agency office in London.
In 1851 Cyrus hall
McCORMICK engaged the Essex Co of Burgess & Key to manufacture
and sell his reaper in England from their Brentwood works. By 1859
Burgess and Key had made and sold about 2000 reapers. In 1880
McCORMICK terminated his agreement with Burgess & Key and
appointed Lankester & Co of London as sales Representatives for
Great Britain, an arrangement which continued untill the “McCORMICK
HARVESTING MACHINE CO” established its own office. |
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1902 |
On August 12 1902 International
Harvester Company was formed.
The companies that came
together were:-
McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.
Deering
Harvester Co.
Plano Harvester Co.
Milwaukee Harvester Co.
Warder, Bushnell & Glessner Co
The newly formed
company was capitalised at $120 million.
Cyrus H. McCormick
(jnr) was named as President, and Charles Deering, Chairman of the
board. |
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1903 |
Harvester builds a plant at Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada.
1905 Harvester builds its first plant in
Europe at Norrkoping in Sweden to manufacture implements |
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1906 |
International Harvester
unveils its first production tractor.
Based on S.S. Mortons
friction drive truck chassis powered by an International “Famous”
single cylinder engine. It was available in 10, 12, 15 and 20 hp
sizes.
14 units were built in 1906.
153 units were built
in 1907.
629 units were built in 1908.
From late 1907 the
second model the “Type A” was available in 12, 15 and 20 hp.
607 units were produced between 1907 &1911. |
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1906 |
International Harvester
Company of Great Britain Ltd, Inaugurated on 31st December , with
offices at 115 Southwark Street, London.
In 1908 the office
relocated to 80 Finsbury Pavement where it stayed until
1926.
The first British works were an assembly shop and
warehouse at Old Ford on the river Lea in the east end of London,
and within 3 years it was able to supply and service the full range
of IH equipment.
Between 1906 and 1939 IHGB had no
manufacturing plant in Britain, basing its business on importations
from the parent American company and Affiliates in Canada and
Europe. |
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1908 |
International Harvester expand
into Germany with the purchase of a site at Neuss on Rhine, near
Dusseldorf.
Located between harbours 1 & 2 on the River
Rhine the site was 1.6 million square feet, with 1.35 million square
feet under cover.
Production of implements under the
McCORMICK name starts in 1911 with typical products being,
mowers,tedders,rakes and fertilizer distributors.
In 1912
the plant also started to produce binder twine. |
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1909 |
Harvester expansion in Europe
continues with the building of factories at:-
Croix, Northern
France.
Lubertzy, Russia. |
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1915 |
International Harvester markets its
first combined harvester thresher “combine”.
This was a
McCormick Deering No 1, which was a pull type, ground driven with a
35 5/8 inch wide cylinder and a 9 foot cut. |
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1923 |
As sales outgrew the capacity
of the London assembly shop and warehouse at Old Ford the need for
an assembly plant and clearing station became urgent so a site at
Orrell Park, Liverpool, (close to the docks), was acquired and a
warehouse erected |
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1926 |
IHGB relocates its head office to “259
City Road, London, EC1. Head office stayed here until 1982 when it
relocated to Doncaster.
As well as offices this gave the
company, warehouse and dock facilities at the City Road Basin on the
Grand Union Canal.
Product would arrive at Tilbury docks and
be transhipped onto barges for delivery to the City Road Parts
Warehouse. |
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1928 |
First combine appears in Britain, a
McCormick Deering No 8 pull type, imported for trials on the
Flasteadbury Estates Ltd in Hertfordshire.
The report issued
following the test quoted “that it cut 53 acres of oats and 137
acres of wheat in a very satisfactory manner”. |
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1937 |
In 1936 International
Harvester in USA decide to produce tractors in Germany.
On 15
march 1937 the first tractor of type F 12 rolls off the assembly
line.
This was rated at 12 - 15 hp and between 1937 &
1940, 3973 units of the F 12 family were built. |
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1938 |
Wheatley Hall site purchased from
Doncaster Borough Council.
Warehouse building constructed on
site by Sept 1939.
1940 Outbreak of war, factory
requisitioned by ministry of supply to assist war effort. |
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1940 |
Production at Neuss was affected several
times during world war 2:
1940 complete timber yard was
burned out.
1942 an allied bomber crashed into the iron
foundry and burned it out.
Despite these setbacks 1945 was
the only year in its 60 year history (from1937 to 1997) of tractor
production that no tractors were produced. |
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1946 |
With the end of the war the Doncaster
site is returned to IHGB. With the completion of the works implement
and service parts production begins.
(in the photo opposite the
camouflage paint on the roof can still be seen)
The range of
products made consisted of:-
greencrop loaders.
pick-up
balers.
mowers.
Ploughs, toolbars & disc harrows.
manure spreaders.
Products were marketed under the McCormick
or McCormick International brands.
At Neuss, the Factory is
rebuilt and they manage to produce 50 tractors |
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1949 |
Farmall M s/no 1001 (No 1) was
purchased by Mr Arthur Neale, who as well as being a Cambridgeshire
Farmer, had been the Managing Director of IHGB for some 25years,
retiring in 1948.
It was under Arthur Neale’s Guidance that
the site at Doncaster was purchased and tractor production
commenced.
Later in 1957 when the Parts depot was constructed
the road between the factory and parts depot was named Neale
Road. |
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1949 |
Farmall M s/no 1001 is still
in the ownership of the Neale family, who still farm in
Cambridgeshire.
In 1999 Peter Neale, (Arthur’s grandson)
donated “No1” (on loan) to the museum located within the Doncaster
works, so she returned to her birth place in August 1999 in time for
the 50th anniversary of her birth. |
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1949 |
Tractor production commences at
Doncaster.
The first tractors were assembled from components
and assemblies shipped from USA.
“McCormick International”
Farmall M, serial no 1001 was driven off the line on 13th of Sept by
the then Minister of Agriculture Mr Tom Edwards, (later Lord
Bamborough). |
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1950 |
International Harvester
France, through a holding company “Compagnie Industrielle de
Machines Agricole" (CIMA) decide to build tractors and purchase a
site at St Dizier in France.
St Dizier is situated in the
Haute-Marne province, 250km east of Paris. This is an historic
region where the principle industry is foundries, and in fact the
Statue of Liberty was cast only 8km away. |
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1951 |
January sees the start of
tractor production at St Dizier with the assembly of the Farmall
model FC.
Mid-summer sees the start of production of
McCormick International “BM” tractors now made from 100% British
produced components.
Brooks McCormick (great grand nephew of
Cyrus Hall McCormick) is named as Managing director of IHGB on 1st
August.
“Brooks” returned to the USA in 1954, and was
appointed as C.E.O of international Harvester from1971 to 1978. He
was the last of the McCormick family to hold a senior position
within Harvester. |
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1952 |
Decision is made that IHGB should enter
the construction equipment market.
Commence by building the
BTD-6 crawler.
When production ceased in 1975, 22,300 0f
these units had been built. |
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1953 |
IHGB purchase a 300, 000 sq ft
manufacturing facility at “Carr Hill” to start Lorry production and
expand baler and tractor production. |
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1954 |
As the mechanisation of world
agriculture expands, there is a need to produce a new small
tractor.
IHGB aquires the old “Jowett” car works at Idle,
Bradford and commences production of the McCormick International B
250 tractor, rated at 30hp.
This was Britains first tractor
incorporating “disc Brakes” and “differential locking”. |
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1957 |
New parts depot Built on
Vacant ground at Neale road.
Parts depot further expanded in
1966.
Eventually the stocks at City Road were run down and
transferred to the then state of the art warehouse at Doncaster.The
last of the parts administration staff transferred in the early
70’s. |
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1965 |
In early 65 all “wheeled” farm tractor
assembly was transferred to Carr Hill.
Component parts for
McCormick International B-450 and B-614, were still made at Wheatley
Hall Rd, and transferred daily by road.
First tractor off
line was a McCormick International B-450 in May.
A 1700 Loadstar
was the first lorry off line in September. |
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1968 |
IHGB launches the McCormick
International B-634 tractor.
This was Britains first tractor
incorporating lower link torsion bar hydraulics.
It was also
the last tractor produced in Britain to use McCormick as part of its
brand name. Production ceased in 1972.
Decision is made to
close the Liverpool facility at Orrell Park and transfer its work to
the remaining GB plants.
The last tractor off the Neuss line
to carry the “McCormick” name was a 624 in 1972. |
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1970 |
IHGB commence building a new
tractor series at Carr Hill. In October the first of the “World
Wide” range rolls off the line.
The range initially comprised
the 454 and the 574, but soon also contained 474,475 and 674
agricultural tractors and 2400 and 2500 industrial machines.
As well as syncromesh transmissions these tractors were
Europe’s first tractors offering the option of hydrostatic
transmissions |
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1978 |
IHGB launch 84 series tractor
range, features include flat deck cab and 4wd.
Models
comprise: |
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1982 |
IHGB launches the 85 series,
available with the new “XL” Cab or low profile “L” cab. Models
comprise: |
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1985 |
In late 1984 Tenneco owner of
“Case” and “David Brown” brands declares its intention to purchase
certain assets of International Harvesters Agricultural
Division.
The deal is concluded in 1985 and Harvester is
placed under the control of “Tenneco’s” Case division.
All
products from Case’s agricultural division are rebranded “Case
International”
85 series range continues in production until
1987. |
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1990 |
Case International introduce
the 95 Series tractors, Built at Doncaster. |
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1994 |
New Doncaster built tractor
range is introduced, The 3200/4200 series.
Comprises models
with Low Profile (LP) or Deluxe Cab Versions in 2 &
4wd.
Tenneco (parent co of Case) float 56% of Case on New
York stock exchange |
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1997 |
The new CX tractor series are
introduced and built at Doncaster.
They are available with
low profile or standard cabs as well as platform versions with or
without ROPS. |
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1998 |
Doncaster plant starts to
build MAXXUM MXC models in February. This tractor comprises the
MAXXUM transmission and hydraulics powered by the same series of
4cylinder engine used in the CX tractors. |
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1999 |
Case seek a merger with New
Holland, Shareholders agree and new company becomes Case New Holland
Global N.V. (CNH)
E.U. regulatory authorities rubber stamp
merger, providing that CNH divest themselves of the Doncaster
Wheatley Hall Road plant and the 50 to 100hp C,CX and MXC tractors
it produces along with the MX Maxxum production and engineering know
how. |
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2000 |
After negotiations with various
interested parties, the plant is purchased by “ARGO S.p.a” of Italy
and it is announced that the Doncaster plant will become the global
headquarters for McCORMICK TRACTORS INTERNATIONAL
LTD.
Products from Doncaster will be sold world wide under
the McCORMICK brand name.
Other sister companies under the
ARGO name are:-
LANDINI
LAVERDA
VALPADANA
PEGORARO |
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2001 |
In January the E.U.
authorities give their approval to the deal and McCORMICK TRACTORS
INTERNATIONAL LTD start trading.
Within days our first
overseas distributor is signed up ”Power Farming” of Morrinsville in
New Zealand |
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2001 |
Negotiations continue between
ARGO S.p.a. and CNH Global for the purchase of the CNH transmission
facility at St DIZIER in France.
In April it is announced
that CNH have sold St Dizier to ARGO, this now becomes McCORMICK
France and the headquarters for operations in France.
The
acquisition of St Dizier gives McCORMICK an operating base in France
as well as control over the transmission build for now and the
future.
With the acquisition the McCormick family grows to a
total of 1100 people. |
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2002 |
At present McCormick
distribution covers all Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
and McCormick USA has recently been established to distribute
McCormick products in to the United States.
Our McCormick
product range goes from 21hp up to 176hp and our intent is to expand
it in order to offer our customers and partners the best possible
service. |
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