The Reliance-Works Story
The original Reliance Works was started by Decker and Seville in 1847, it was a general blacksmith company specializing in flour milling production, it was a prosperous company until the panic of 1857, which forced the company into bankruptcy by 1861. A young entrepreneur by the name of Edward P Allis had moved to Milwaukee and bought the Reliance Works for $22.72 and quickly began to not only expand the company but to go on to break world records in pumps and steam engines.
The Origins of Allis Chalmers
Allis Chalmers - A World Leader
Allis Chalmers was a world leader in steam engines, steam turbines, hydro electric turbines, rock crushers, nuclear power, including the top secret Manhattan Project. Most people knew of Allis Chalmers because of their tractors and farm machinery. Allis Chalmers was the largest “Job Shop” in the world , building a mass array of record breaking and mind boggling machinery in both size and scope.
Unfortunately in the 1980’s Allis Chalmers fell on hard times, high interest rates coupled with poor top management caused the company to sink into bankruptcy. Its great products were scattered to different companies from all around the globe, its skilled labor and engineers with it.
The Rising Phoenix
In the late Norm Swinfords book ( Allis Chalmers Farm Equipment 1914-1985), the very last sentence in the last paragraph of chapter one states ” Those of us who were part of this great company hope that, like the fabled phoenix, it will rise again to its former greatness”.
Today the Reliance Works has taken the phoenix and incorporated it into our logo, and with any luck and with carrying on the Allis Chalmers tradition of pride and quality in manufacturing maybe, just maybe the great company will return from the ashes.
