Ex-Cell-O
Ex-Cell-O Corporation (commonly known as Ex-Cell-O) was an American manufacturer of machinery and machine tools located in suburban Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company was in operation from 1919 to 2006.
Industry | Precision machinery, industrial tools |
---|---|
Founded | 1919 in Highland Park, Michigan |
Defunct | 2006 |
Headquarters | Sterling Heights, Michigan |
Products | Thread grinding machines, boring machines, facing machines, lapping machines |
History
United States
The company was established in 1919 as Ex-Cell-O Tool and Manufacturing Co. by a group of tool and die makers, all of whom were former employees of Ford Motor Company. The site of the original shop was located in Highland Park, Michigan, only a few blocks from the world's first automobile assembly line.[1][2] Newton "Woody" Woodworth served as the first president and general manager.[1]
In its early years, around sixty percent of the company's business was manufacturing parts and fixtures for aircraft.[3] Due to its focus on the aviation industry, the company name was changed to Ex-Cell-O Aircraft and Tool Corporation in 1927. At this time, they also made grinding machines (including Carboloy-branded grinders that Carboloy, Inc. sold) and air-driven grinding spindles.[4]
In 1937, Woodworth left the company, which was then reorganized as Ex-Cell-O Corp. The more general name was chosen to reflect their increasingly diverse product lines, which included high-precision thread grinders, boring machines, facing machines, and lapping machines.[4]
Ex-Cell-O was part of the Arsenal of Democracy.[5] During World War II, they manufactured the following products for military use:
- Nozzle plates for rockets
- Aircraft engine parts
- Boring machines
- Thread grinding machines
- Center lapping machines
By the mid-1960s, the company was based in Troy, Michigan.[6]
In 1986, Ex-Cell-O was acquired by defense industry conglomerate Textron for $77.50 per share in cash, totaling about $1.1 billion (about $3.1 billion in 2023 dollars). Under the merger agreement, Ex-Cell-O became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron.[7]
Ex-Cell-O began laying off all employees on April 28, 2006.
Canada
Ex-Cell-O Corporation of Canada, Ltd. manufactured heavy machine tools like ram-type milling machines. The business was located at 120 Weston Street in London, Ontario.[4]
Acquisitions
The following partial list is a history of acquisitions by the Ex-Cell-O Corporation.
Year | Acquisition | Location | Product Lines |
---|---|---|---|
1948 | Robbins Engineering Co. | Detroit, Michigan | Jet engine rotors and related components, machine tools including magnetic chucks, sine bars, and sine plates |
Mid-1950s | Michigan Tool Company[6] | Detroit, Michigan | Gear finishing machine tools[8] |
1958 | Bryant Chucking Grinder Co. | Springfield, Vermont | Production grinding machines |
1963 | Micromatic Hone Corp | Honing machines | |
1969 | Greenlee Brothers & Co.[9] | Rockford, Illinois | Woodworking machinery |
1977 | McCord Corp. | Automotive, industrial, and agricultural products |
Company Name
The following list is a chronology of the various names used by Ex-Cell-O Corporation throughout its history.
Year | Name | Notes |
---|---|---|
1919–1927 | Ex-Cell-O Tool & Manufacturing Co. | |
1927–1937 | Ex-Cell-O Aircraft & Tool Corp. | Name changed to reflect the company's emphasis on parts and fixtures for aircraft.[2] |
1986–2006 | Ex-Cell-O Machine Tools, Inc. | Name of the machine tools division of Ex-Cell-O Corp following the acquisition by Textron. |
References
- Polk's Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1921–1922 (49 ed.). Detroit, Michigan: R.L. Polk & Co. 1921. p. 501.
- Vartabedian, Ralph (August 6, 1986). "Textron Makes Offer to Acquire Ex-Cell-O: Hints It May Raise Its $966-Million Bid". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- "Ex-Cell-O Additions To Be Ready Soon". Detroit Free Press. September 20, 1929. p. 21. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- Joslin, Jeff (February 3, 2023). "Ex-Cell-O Machine Tools, Inc". Vintage Machinery. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- "Ex-Cell-O Corporation". Detroit Historical Society. September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- Fedder, Mark (April 18, 2013). "Michigan Tool and Ex-Cell-O". Manistee News Advocate. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- Schmitt, Eric (August 19, 1986). "Textron Acquiring Ex-Cell-O". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- "Michigan Tool Co". Vintage Machinery. July 26, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- Johnson, Eric A. (2003). Rockford: 1900–World War I. Arcadia Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 0-7385-2341-0.