Allis Chalmers History

Amalgamation of Several Companies.

Allis-Chalmers was a U.S. manufacturer of machinery for various industries, including agriculture, construction, power generation, and mining. It was founded in 1901 as an amalgamation of several smaller companies that had been making steam engines, mill equipment, rock crushers, and other machinery. ¹

The Early Years.

Allis-Chalmers's first farm tractors, the 10-18, the Model 6-12, and the Model 15-30, were developed and marketed between 1914 and 1919, and the farm implement line was expanded. ¹ The company also acquired the Monarch Tractor Company of Springfield, Illinois, in 1928, which gave it access to the tracked tractor market. ³

The Post-War Era.

After World War II, Allis-Chalmers faced increasing competition from other tractor manufacturers, such as International Harvester, John Deere, and Massey-Harris. To keep pace in the battle for horsepower dominance and market share, Allis-Chalmers introduced new models and innovations throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Some of these included:

• The WD-45, introduced in 1953, which was the first Allis-Chalmers tractor to feature power steering and a diesel engine option. ⁴⁵
• The D Series, launched in 1957, which included the D-10, D-12, D-14, D-15, D-17, and D-19 models. These tractors had a sleek design and a new Persian Orange color scheme. ⁴⁵
• The One-Ninety XT (XT standing for extra torque), unveiled in 1964, which was the first tractor to break the 100 horsepower barrier in its class. It also had a turbocharged diesel engine and a Power Director transmission that allowed shifting on the go. ⁴⁵
• The Model 220, released in 1969, which was the largest and most powerful tractor that Allis-Chalmers ever built. It had a V8 diesel engine that produced 220 horsepower and a power shift transmission that offered 12 forward and four reverse speeds. It was designed for large-scale farming operations that required high-performance equipment. ⁴⁵

The Decline and Demise.

Despite its achievements and innovations, Allis-Chalmers faced financial difficulties in the 1970s and 1980s due to changing market conditions, rising costs, foreign competition, and poor management decisions. The company sold off its various business lines and assets to different buyers over time. In 1985, it sold its farm equipment division to Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) of Germany, which later became part of AGCO Corporation. The Allis-Chalmers name was retired in 1999 when the remaining operations were closed down. ¹

The Legacy.

Allis-Chalmers was a pioneer and innovator in the industrial age in America and around the world. It made a significant contribution to the development of machinery for agriculture, construction, power generation, and mining. Its orange tractors are still remembered and admired by many farmers and collectors today. Allis-Chalmers was a forgotten industrial giant that left behind a rich history of engineering excellence.

Source: 

(1) Allis-Chalmers - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allis-Chalmers.

(2) Allis-Chalmers Construction Equipment - Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki. https://tractors.fandom.com/wiki/Allis-Chalmers_Construction_Equipment.

(3) Allis-Chalmers Tractors | Wessels Living History Farm. https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/machines/allis-chalmers-tractors/.

(4) Allis-Chalmers Tractors during the 1950s and 60s - Living History Farm. https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/machines_04.html.

(5) Forgotten Industrial Giant: The Allis-Chalmers Story - Business History .... https://americanbusinesshistory.org/forgotten-industrial-giant-the-allis-chalmers-story/.

Image Attribution: Acroterion, John Deere 8320R tractor MD1, CC BY-SA 4.0

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