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.

Ex-Cell-O Corp.
IndustryPrecision machinery, industrial tools
Founded1919 in Highland Park, Michigan
Defunct2006
Headquarters
Sterling Heights, Michigan
ProductsThread 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. This location is a few blocks from the world's first automobile assembly line, at the Highland Park Ford Plant.[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 such as 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 its acquisition by Textron.

References

  1. 1 2 Polk's Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1921–1922 (49 ed.). Detroit, Michigan: R.L. Polk & Co. 1921. p. 501.
  2. 1 2 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.
  3. ↑ "Ex-Cell-O Additions To Be Ready Soon". Detroit Free Press. September 20, 1929. p. 21. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Joslin, Jeff (February 3, 2023). "Ex-Cell-O Machine Tools, Inc". Vintage Machinery. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Ex-Cell-O Corporation". Detroit Historical Society. September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Fedder, Mark (April 18, 2013). "Michigan Tool and Ex-Cell-O". Manistee News Advocate. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  7. ↑ Schmitt, Eric (August 19, 1986). "Textron Acquiring Ex-Cell-O". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Michigan Tool Co". Vintage Machinery. July 26, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Eric A. (2003). Rockford: 1900–World War I. Arcadia Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 0-7385-2341-0.
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