Rockwell International

Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate. It worked on many important things like airplanes, space projects, defense tools, and parts for cars. The company also made printing presses, electronics for planes, and many other industrial products.

At its strongest point, Rockwell International was one of the biggest companies in the United States. It had more than $8 billion in assets, sold goods worth $27 billion, and employed 115,000 people.

The story of Rockwell International began with the Rockwell Manufacturing Company, started in 1919 by Willard Rockwell. Over time, the company grew and changed. By 1973, it joined with aerospace products and became Rockwell International. In the 1980s, the company began to split into smaller parts, finally dividing into Rockwell Automation and Rockwell Collins in 2001.

History

Rockwell Manufacturing Company

Willard Rockwell started his company in Boston by creating a new bearing system for truck axles in 1919. He later merged his business in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with another company in 1928 and became its leader in 1940.

Rockwell Manufacturing expanded over the years. In 1945, it bought Delta Machinery and renamed it the Delta Power Tool Division. They made tools in Milwaukee and even invented the world’s first power miter saw in 1966. Later, parts of the company were sold to other businesses.

In 1956, Rockwell bought Walker-Turner and moved some of its work to different cities in the United States.

The company grew through many mergers. In 1967, Rockwell Manufacturing merged with North American Aviation to form North American Rockwell. They also bought other companies that made printing presses and avionics equipment.

1968–1974

During this time, Rockwell had many employees spread across different divisions making valves, gas products, water meters, power tools, transportation parts, and more. The company operated in many places in the United States and Germany.

Apex and break-up

Rockwell International became very successful in the 1980s, especially in defense and space projects like the Space Shuttle. However, after the Space Shuttle and B-1 bomber programs ended, the company started to sell parts of its business. By 2001, Rockwell International split into two new companies: Rockwell Automation and Rockwell Collins.

Rockwell was involved in many important projects, from World War II aircraft to the Space Shuttle and GPS satellites. The company also made calculators, modems, and other technology products.

Products

Rockwell International made many important products, especially airplanes and spacecraft. Some of their famous airplanes include the Rockwell B-1 Lancer and the Rockwell Commander 112. They also helped build parts of the Apollo Command and Service Module and the Space Shuttle orbiter.

The company created rocket engines like the F-1 used in the Saturn V rocket and the RS-25 for the Space Shuttle. They also made missiles such as the AGM-53 Condor and unmanned aircraft like the Rockwell HiMAT.

Research laboratory

Rockwell International had a big research laboratory in Thousand Oaks, California. It started in 1962 as the North American Science Center and later became the Rockwell International Science Center.

The lab did important research for the U.S. Government and its own companies. It was well-known for studying new materials, making special cameras that can see heat, creating screens using liquid crystals, and working with fast electronics. The lab also helped develop new ways to make tiny parts for computers and worked on making computers easier to use. In 2000, part of the lab moved to Camarillo, California. After Rockwell International split up in 2001, the lab became its own company. In 2006, it was sold to Teledyne Corporation, which now uses the building as its main office. Some research still happens there today.