Bendix . .Yesterday, I oaay, ana I omorrow

Field Corporation As you read through these pages which describe our past as well as our present activities, it is appropriate to glance towards the future as depicted by Mr. A. P. Fontaine at the shareholders meeting on February 29, 1968:

"Surely the pace of change and the character of the variables that confront us demand of management a high order of judgement. But more than that, they demand a systematic approach to building for growth that is grounded in a clear statement of goals and buttressed by realistic plans for achievement. I feel confident that our objectives are clearly spelled out and understood at each level of management. It remains for us to apply our energies to the fulfillment of the plans we have set for ourselves. "

On page 12 of this brochure you will find the Bendix Corporate Objectives. They set our course. The challenge for the future is ours to fulfill.

Vice President ofroperations Bendix Field Engineering Corporation

This history has been abstracted from North America on December 8, 1966. Portions of Mr. Fontaine's talk relative the text of a speech given by Mr. A. P. This Newcomen address was delivered to the Baltimore Divisions and Bendix Fontaine, Chairman of the Board and at the "1966 Michigan Dinner" of the Field Engineering were amplified locally Chief Executive Officer, The Bendix society held at Detroit, Michigan when to provide more historical detail con- Corporation, to the Newcomen Society of Mr. Fontaine was the guest of honor. cerning those organizations. In many ways, The At the age of 16, chafing under the The search led him, in 1913, to a today is typical of what might be called strict discipline of his father, who was bicycle show in Chicago, where he a "new breed" of companies. There is a Methodist minister, Vincent Bendix encountered John Ferguson, general a modest but growing number of firms ran away from his home in Moline, manager of the Eclipse Machine Com- like ours whose operations seem to defy Illinois. A mechanically minded young- pany. The bicycle coaster , which classification into one or another of the ster, he headed for New York City, rigid industrial categories. Typical of where he worked as an elevator operator, this new breed, Bendix is large, highly amessenger ina lawyer's office, and a diversified, scientifically and techni- handyman in garages. Ultimately, he cally oriented, and - fortunately - grow- gravitated to the automobile field and, ing. You might say, to paraphrase before he was 25, he associated himself Gilbert and Sullivan, "we are the very with Glenn Curtiss in the manufacture model of a modern major company. " and sale of motorcycles. But more about that later.

It was a few years later t3at he formed The history of our company follows an automobile company and assembled the patterns typical of many modern cor- and sold a few vehicles under the name porations. The early years are largely of Bendix. Although his idea was good, the story of a single man - in our case, his timing was unfortunate. That was Vincent Bendix - who took a bright idea 1907, a yearthat saw the introduction of and, with a combination of innate busi- 94 new automobile makes, including ness aptitude, hard work, and good luck, with such imaginative names as the forged that idea into the beginning of our Black Crow, Bugmobile, Single Center, company. and the Steel Swallow. In the face of such competition, young Mr. Bendix' didn't have a chance. However, the events surrounding the birth of The Bendix Corporation were not particularly auspicious. Politicians Vincent Bendix' venture into the auto are fond of citing humble beginnings; if industry wasn't a complete flop, however. there is special merit in having grown This exposure to the automobile business was Eclipse Machine's principal product, from low degree to international stature, did interest the young man in the problem used a triple thread screw of the kind that merit for The Bendix Corporation of starting automobile engines. He was Mr. Bendix needed. Little time was can certainly be claimed. While there convinced that only the perfection of wasted in negotiations, and the license is no log cabin in our background, there mechanical starting would ensure com- agreement to produce drives was certainly is no silver spoon either. plete public acceptance of the motor car signed with Eclipse Machine the follow- by eliminating the hazards and incon- ing year. The first Bendix starter drive venience of handcranking. was installed on Chevroletts ItBaby Grand" touring car in 1914, and 5,500 The story of The Bendix Corporation drives were produced that year. By begins in a Chicago hotel room in 1914 Develops Starter Drive 1919, production had soared to 1.5 with the signing of an agreement between million, and soon nearly every vehicle a 33-year-old inventor and officials of produced in the United States was equip a struggling bicycle brake manufacturing It is true that the first electric starting ped with the . Vincent firm. Under the agreement, Vincent motor had been introduced on the 1911 Bendix had been launched into the auto Bendix gave an exclusive license to the Cadillac, but a dependable mechanical industry. Eclipse Machine Company in Elmira, link between the starting motor and the New York , to manufacture his invention, carts engine was still lacking. Bendix which he described as "a transmission had developed a transmission device device for the starting of explosive mo- that would provide such a link, but he Hoping to duplicate his success with tors. " This device was marketed under found that a vital part, a triple thread the starter drive, Bendix spent the next the slogan tfthemechanical hand that screw, was almost impossible to pro- few years searching for other potential cranks your car" and is known to auto- duce except by hand in a machine shop. products, but success was slight. Then, motive history as the Bendix starter Inspired by his visions of the tremendous in 1923, he became acquainted with drive. This agreement proved to be the market potential of the starter drive, Henri Perrot, an outstanding French first big breakthrough for Vincent Bendix Bendix begain searching for a manufac- engineer noted for his design of a taxi- in the young but growing automotive in- turer capable of producing a triple cab with a short wheelbase and a tight dustry. Up to this point, his career had thread screw economically and in large turning radius, which made it ideal for not been notably rewarding. volume. use on narrow European streets. At the time he and Bendix met, Perrot This arrangement with Perrot was the about 25 percent of the available market was investigating two areas of automo- first of many business associations for , and profits at Eclipse Ma- tive brake equipment which badly needed Mr. Bendix had with individuals and chine were $2.5 million, due principally improvement. With very few exceptions, companies in France. His contributions to the sales of starter drives. the cars and trucks of the day were to French industry were recognized in equipped with simple, but somewhat 1963 when he was named to the exclusive less than adequate, band brakes, and Legion of Honor by the French Govern- With his automotive operations in those only on the rear wheels. Perrot ment. Interestingly enough, one of the reasonably robust health, Vincent Bendix had designed a linkage system which first of these associations arose from now turned his attention to the growing would permit front wheel brakes. This the fact that a French firm was infring- field of aviation. He had observed the invention he had licensed to the General ing on the Bendix starter drive patents. fantastic growth in the production of Motors Corporation for manufacture What started as a "cease and desist" engine starters, generators, and other under his patents. His second develop order ended as a license agreement. electrical devices for aircraft at an ment was an internal expanding shoe Eclipse Machine subsidiary, and he was brake which, in the long run, proved to impressed. Even though he was person- ally uneasy about the prospects of flying- be a much more important product than To finance the new brake business, and probably never flew more than half the linkage system. The Bendix Corporation offered its stock a dozen times in his life Vincent Ben- for public sale for the first time in 1924. - dix was convinced of the tremendous With the $800,000 raised bv the sale of 40,000 shares, Bendix bought an old potential of the aircraft industry. He Vincent Bendix was not only perceptive saw that Lindberghts flight to Paris factory in South Bend, Indiana, and in recognizing engineering advancements, would capture the imagination of pro- started manufacturing automobile brake he was a persuasive salesman as well, spective investors as no other event in and he used both talents in the negotia- systems for such early customers as Marmon, Locomobile, , Hupp, transgoration history ever had. In an tions with Perrot which followed. As a effort to borrow some of that glamor, result, the Bendix Engineering Works and Durant. The next few years might have been drawn directly from a text- he changed the name of his business to was established with the exclusive license the Corporation in 1929 to the Perrot shoe brake patents. In book example of the law of supply and demand. The auto industry needed bet- when eight percent of his company's addition, Perrot assigned to Bendix his sales were in aviation products. interest in the brake linkage license ter brakes, and the Bendix-Perrot sys- tem filled the bill. In the four years granted to . With this, Bendix was prepared to offer the auto from 1924 to 1928, the Bendix brake Then, as if to justify the new name, plant grew from 20,000 square feet to industry the first thoroughly reliable Bendix embarked on a whirlwind acqui- four-wheel brake system ever seen on more than a million square feet. Pro- sition program intended to increase the American cars. duction climbed from 650,000 brakes in company's participation in the aviation 1926 to 3,600,000 in 1928. industry. The companies Bendix acquired in 1929 and 1930 were among the first It was in 1928 that General Motors of the more than 100 companies, corp- THE BENDIX STARTER DRIVE AND THE PIRSTAUTOUOELLE first became involved in the fortunes orations, and partnerships which have m USE IT-THE 1914CHEVROLET~'BLBY GRAND" Of ~h~ ~~~di~corporation,a develop- gone into making up the modern Bendix ment that was to have far-reaching Corporation. Among the major purchases effects on the character of the company of those early years was the Scintilla until 1948 when GM sold its last remain- Magneto Company, which was engaged ing interest in Bendix. By 1928, Gener- in the production of magnetos for recip- al Motors had become the largest cns- rocating engines for aircraft. The tomer for the Bendix starter drive and, Electrical Components Division still when Vincent Bendix moved to acquire makes Scintilla magnetos and remains a majority interest in the Eclipse Ma- an expert in engine ignition systems, chine Company, GM agreed to act as his but today its electrical connectors form agent in the transaction and accepted an important and expanding product line. Bendix' notes for the $6.8 million need- ed for the purchase of the stock. As a Pioneer Instrument Company was result of these moves, General Motors another of the many 1929 acquisitions. was guaranteed a reliable source of It was regarded in 1929 as the world's supply for starter drives, and The leading manufacturer of aircraft instru- Bendix Corporation added another facil- ments, and its earth induction compass ity to its growing industrial complex. was used by Lindbergh during his Atlan- tic crossing. Today, the descendant of that company, the Navigation and Con- By 1928, the success of The Bendix trol Division in Teterboro, New Jersey, Corporation in the booming auto industry is one of our largest aviation and space- seemed assured. In that year, it had oriented operations. Another company acquired by Mr. Ben- - -. -.------~ dix in 1929 was the Stromberg Carbure- -- A - . ---.- - .- - -. --- -. . - - - tor Company. It had become a status -. . -. symbol in the 1920's to install a Strom- -- ...... *. -. berg carburetor on a new car unless it . . was so equipped by the manufacturer. . . Stromberg further strengthened the Bendix position in the automotive indus- try, and the prestige of the Stromberg name gave increased stature to the young company.

The acquisitions of 1929 gave the Bendix Aviation Corporation a broader line of products for the automobile indus- . . -... ,. try and formed a substantial foothold in "';*:".'i!;"&-4:<;f the aircraft components industry. The . a::. :. 2.-...... acquired companies brought with them ECLrPSE MACKfNE COMPANY, Ei!dlR.A, KEW YORK, IN 1915- the capable young men who since have made up the management of The Bendix THE HOME OF THE BENDIX STARTER DRIVE Corporation. The immediate effect of the acquisitions was increased sales the Division, revoluntionary tion sooner or later finds himself ex- and profit and, by the end of the first developments, such as the aviation radio plaining that his company has nothing to full year of operation, net profits for compass, came off the drawing boards, do with the Bendix automatic washer and, the new Bendix Aviation Corporation and experiments went forward with a in fact, never did have except in a rather totalled $1.2 million. newfangled instrument called , in remote way. It is a source of frustration which Bendix pioneered. to many of our people that, while our company designs and builds missiles Things looked good for the Bendix and space systems, sophisticated Aviation Corporation. Business was One of the most important of the new aviation instruments, and literally thou- good; the company was growing and inventions to come out of Bendix during sands of highly engineered products, stockholders were happy. They had the 1930's was the pressure carburetor many people - perhaps most people -- reason to be happy: an investment of for aircraft engines. By 1938, this who recognize the Bendix name connect $26 in Bendix stock in 1924 was worth device had been developed to the stage it with an automatic washer we never $420 by 1929, an increase of 1600 per- of successful performance, and in the marketed. This is probably due to the cent. war years just ahead, the Bendix-designed carburetor was used on the engines of virtually every aircraft in the Allied But of course was 1929, and this arsenal. although Bendix was growing and for that period was already remarkably well diversified, it was far from immune to The interest Vincent Bendix had in the Great Depression. In 1932, the aviation led him to establish the Bendix Corporation operated at a loss, and Transcontinental Air Race in 1931. It dividends to stockholders were discon- was a time of daring and glamor in tinued until 1935, when they were re- aviation; for a generation the Bendix Air sumed. The stock which had sold for Race symbolized these qualities while $104.37 a share in 1929 was down to it encouraged aircraft designers and $4.37 by 1933 - a drop of exactly $100. pilots to build better, faster planes. The 1931 race was won by Major James Doolittle at an average speed of 223 The depression years were rough ones miles per hour. By contrast, the win- for the Corporation, yet the 1930's still ner of the of the Bendix race in 1962, stand out as a decade of research and Captain Robert G. Sowers, flew his B-58 development at Bendix, marked by coast-to-coast at an average speed of sparkling invention and the improvement 1,215 miles per hour. of our aviation and automotive products. Bendix engineers during those years At this point, it seems appropriate to experimented with power brakes and clear up the question, "What about the for cars and trucks, washing machine ?'I It seems that every fields in which Bendix leads today. At representative of The Bendix Corpora- TW COVETED BENDIX TROPRY fact that the Bendix washer was a con- wholly owned subsidiaries into divisions. for the presidency. Under his leader- sumer product and received the adver- Profits remained low in 1938, but in 1939, ship, Bendix made numerous significant tising and public attention that consumer the Corporation enjoyed the best peacetime contributions to the war effort and earned items do while our products, well-known year since its formation, with sales of 20 Army-Navy "E's" for efficiency in in the business community, are seldom $40 million. the process. Bendix developed the four- seen by the general public. wheeldrive for Jeeps, the Navy ground- There might be some doubt that 1939 controlled approach radar, the air posi- can be considered a peacetime year, of tion indicator, the automatic pilot for At any rate, in the mid-1930ts, offi- course. By that time production orders aircraft, automatic oxygen systems, a cials of the Company, a began coming in from the British and fuel injection system for aircraft, and Bendix subsidiary, allowed two young French for military material. From the famous "Gibson Girl'1 emergency inventors to use Bendix facilities to re- 1939 to 1941, there was a hugh expansion radio transmitter that led rescuers to fine a drastically new and unique auto- of Bendix facilities to meet the needs of countless fliers downed at sea. matic washing machine the two men had the preparedness program of the United conceived. As the work progressed, the States Government. Hydraulic Brake Company officials per- Sales of the Corporation went from suaded Vincent Bendix to permit the use $40 million in 1939 to over $900 million of the Bendix name on the machine. In in 1944. By 1944, Bendix had more than return, Bendix Aviation was to receive $100 million of government facilities in 25 percent of the stock in Bendix Home use, and employment had reached a Appliances, Inc. , founded in 1936. peak of 70,000, To give an idea of how Bendix was assigned the task of produc- production soared, average monthly ing certain components for the machine, sales at Eclipse Pioneer Division alone but that is about as close as we came to went from $625,000 in 1939 to $30 mil- the washer. lion in 1945. Production of the pressure carburetors mentioned earlier leaped from 1,700 in 1939 to 674,000 in 1945. The Bendix washer had tremendous The sales volume at Radio Division went appeal when it appeared on the market from only $2 million in 1939 to $193 and at one time had 52 percent of the million in 1945. So in mid-1945 when market for automatic washers. However, the war ended, our production, employ- as war approached, shortages of ma- ment, and facilities were all at the high- terial developed, losses mounted, and est point of the company's history. Bendix became too heavily involved in military production to continue the affiliation with Home Applicances. The However, within months of the war's Corporation finally disposed of its stock end, the government cancelled some in Bendix Home Applicances in 1940. Emerson wrote that "Every great 21,000 contracts with Bendix for well institution is the lengthened shadow of a over a billion dollars. To add to that, single man. " If this is true, the late the Corporation at the same time lost By 1935, the Bendix Aviation Corpo- 1930's marks the point that the shadow its chief executive. It was 1946 when ration was recovering from the depres- of Vincent Bendix began to diminish in Mr. Breech resigned to become execu- sion, but profits remained low because importance in the affairs of the corpo- tive vice president of Ford Motor Com- of the costs of expanding established ration he had founded. Mr. Bendix, pany 0 product lines and the consolidation of whose personal worth in 1929 was con- new ones. In 1937, general unsatisfac- servatively estimated at $50 million, tory conditions led General Motors, the underwent bankruptcy proceedings in Following Mr. Breech's resignation, owner of 25 percent of Bendix stock, to 1939 as the result of real estate specu- Mr. Malcolm P. Ferguson was elected install two members on the Bendix board lation during the early 1930's. By the to succeed him as president. Mr. of directors. One of these men was spring of 1942, Vincent Bendix had Ferguson, by the way, was one of the Ernest R. Breech, a GM vice president, resigned as president and chairman of men who joined The Bendix Corporation who was to have a major role in Bendix the board of the Bendix Aviation Corpo- during the acquisition campaign of 1929. history a few years later. This was the ration, and he remained apart from the He came to Bendix as a junior executive beginning of a move to improve the posi- Corporation until his death in 1945. at Eclipse Machine Company. While tion of the Corporation without drastically Mr. Breech's accomplishments were changing its character. A campaign be- outstanding in the building up of facilities gan to streamline Bengix, tying up loose When Vincent Bendix resigned, Mr. and performance during the war years, ends, cutting costs, consolidating and Breech was elected the Corporation's Mr. Ferguson was faced with the neces- centralizing operations. Within a year, president. Mr. Breech was well sity of returning the company to peace- the Corporation changed from a kind of acquainted with the Corporations's plans time production levels as quickly as holding company to an operating organi- and programs, and General Motors possible. This responsibility included zation through the transformation of the agreed to permit him to be a candidate such grim tasks as deactivating many fact that the Bendix washer was a con- wholly owned subsidiaries into divisions. for the presidency. Under his leader- sumer product and received the adver- Profits remained low in 1938, but in 1939, ship, Bendix made numerous significant tising and public attention that consumer the Corporation enjoyed the best peacetime contributions to the war effort and earned items do while our products, well-known year since its formation, with sales of 20 Army-Navy "E's" for efficiency in in the business community, are seldom $40 million. the process. Bendix developed the four- seen by the general public. wheel drive for Jeeps, the Navy ground- - There might be some doubt that 1939 controlled approach radar, the air posi- can be considered a peacetime year, of tion indicator, the automatic pilot for At any rate, in the mid-19301s, offi- course. By that time production orders aircraft, automatic oxygen systems, a cials of the Hydraulic Brake Company, a began coming in from the British and fuel injection system for aircraft, and Bendix subsidiary, allowed two young French for military material. From the famous "Gibson Girlu emergency inventors to use Bendix facilities to re- 1939 to 1941, there was a hugh expansion radio transmitter that led rescuers to fine a drastically new and unique auto- of Bendix facilities to meet the needs of countless fliers downed at sea. matic washing machine the two men had the preparedness program of the United conceived. As the work progressed, the States Government. Hydraulic Brake Company officials per- Sales of the Corporation went from suaded Vincent Bendix to permit the use $40 million in 1939 to over $900 million of the Bendix name on the machine. In in 1944. By 1944, Bendix had more than return, Bendix Aviation was to receive $100 million of government facilities in 25 percent of the stock in Bendix Home use, and employment had reached a Appliances, Inc. , founded in 1936. peak of 70,000. To give anidea of how Bendix was assigned the task of produc- production soared, average monthly ing certain components for the machine, sales at Eclipse Pioneer Division alone but that is about as close as we came to went from $625,000 in 1939 to $30 mil- the washer. lion in 1945. Production of the pressure carburetors mentioned earlier leaped from 1,700 in 1939 to 674,000 in 1945. The Bendix washer had tremendous The sales volume at Radio Division went appeal when it appeared on the market from only $2 million in 1939 to $193 and at one time had 52 percent of the million in 1945. So in mid-1945 when market for automatic washers. However, the war ended, our production, employ- as war approached, shortages of ma- ment, and facilities were all at the high- terial developed, losses mounted, and est point of the company's history. Bendix became too heavily involved in military production to continue the affiliation with Home Applicances. The However, within months of the war's Corporat~onfinally disposed of its stock end, the government cancelled some in Bendix Home Applicances in 1940. Emerson wrote that "Every great 21,000 contracts with Bendix for well institution is the lengthened shadow of a over a billion dollars. To add to that, the Corporation at the same time lost single man. " If this is true, the late By 1935, the Bendix Aviation Corpo- 1930's marks the point that the shadow its chief executive. It was 1946 when ration was recovering from the depres- of Vincent Bendix began to diminish in Mr. Breech resigned to become execu- sion, but profits remained low because importance in the affairs of the corpo- tive vice president of Ford Motor Com- of the costs of expanding established ration he had founded. Mr. Bendix, pany. product lines and the consolidation of whose personal worth in 1929 was con- new ones. In 1937, general unsatisfac- servatively estimated at $50 million, tory conditions led General Motors, the underwent bankruptcy proceedings in Following Mr. Breech's resignation, owner of 25 percent of Bendix stock, to 1939 as the result of real estate specu- Mr. Malcolm P. Ferguson was elected install two members on the Bendix board lation during the early 1930's. By the to succeed him as president. Mr. of directors. One of these men was spring of 1942, Vincent Bendix had Ferguson, by the way, was one of the Ernest R. Breech, a GM vice president, resigned as president and chairman of men who joined The Bendix Corporation who was to have a major role in Bendix the board of the Bendix Aviation Corpo- during the acquisition campaign of 1929. history a few years later. This was the ration, and he remained apart from the He came to Bendix as a junior executive beginning of a move to improve the posi- Corporation until his death in 1945. at Eclipse Machine Company. While tion of the Corporation without drastically Mr. Breech's accomplishments were changing its character. A campaign be- outstanding in the building up of facilities gan to streamline Bendix, tying up loose When Vincent Bendix resigned, Mr. and performance during the war years, ends, cutting costs, consolidating and Breech was elected the Corporation's Mr. Ferguson was faced with the neces- centralizing operations. Within a year, president. Mr. Breech was well sity of returning the company to peace- the Corporation changed from a kind of acquainted with the Corporations's plans time production levels as quickly as holding company to an operating organi- and programs, and General Motors possible. This responsibility included zation through the transformation of the agreed to permit him to be a candidate such grim tasks as deactivating many was practically nonexistent. After some applications. They include the Polar very difficult months, the division pro- Path Compass which made Arctic Circle ceeded to convert to peacetime-use pro- flights possible, airborne weather radar ducts which had been developed during permitting pilots to avoid storm con- the war years. It also began a con- ditions ahead of their planes, automo- centrated development program for tive power steering and ultrasonic clean- commercial aircraft items including ing systems. All of these continue to be automatic pilots, flight path controls important product areas for us. oxygen regulators, and turbine starters.

The Corporation received a substantial Under Mr. Fergusonfs leadership, a start in a new area of operations in 1949 number of organizational changes were when the Atomic Energy Commission made to increase the efficiency and selected Bendix to undertake manage- capabilities of the Corporation. Late ment of a classified project; the Kansas in 1956, a Systems Division was estab- City Division was organized to accom- lished to integrate the efforts of two or modate it. Since then, this operation more divisions on large-scale develop- has grown to encompass almost 2 mil- ment programs and major systems pro- lion square feet of plant and some 6,000 jects. The increasing importance of employees. our international activities was recog- nized in 1957 with the appointment of a divisions, negotiating settlement of the top level officer to supervisebur Inter- $1 billion in cancelled government con- The Berlin airlift of 1948 and 1949 national Operations. Through the tracts, disposition of some $100 million helped to boost our recovering aircraft establishment of the Bendix Field En- in excess plants and facilities provided business, and by the late 19401s,Bendix gineering and Bendix Commercial by the government, and the reduction and had regained its strength. Service Corporations, we intensified realignment of personnel. It was a dif- our programs to sell our abilities in technical support and management roles. ficult period, and Mr. Ferguson's suc- At this point, it should be noted that, cess in directing the company through it in 1948, General Motors decided to dis- is reflected in the fact that the postwar pose of all minority interests as a mat- recovery at Bendix proceeded remark- ter of policy. As a result, GM disposed In 1960, the Bendix Aviation Corpora- ably well. There was an operating loss of its remaining 400,000 shares of tion changed its name to The Bendix of $12 million in 1946, but by 1947, the Bendix stock in that year. Corporation. The Corporation had long Corporation was once again in the black. since evolved into a creative engineer- By the first half of 1951, the full ing and manufacturing organization impact of the Korean War was being engaged in a great many products and One bright spot in our postwar recov- felt, and Bendix Aviation was hard put fields, and it was believed that the old ery was the experience of the Bendix to keep abreast of the demands made name was inaccurate and limiting. Products Division, which found that upon it. Its 1951 sales had increased Aviation products still constitute a sub- demands for automotive brakes, vacuum to $340 million, up 50 percent from BUUINC GUN TURRETS FOB power brakes, and universal joints were 1950, and its backlog of orders had sky- WORLD WAR 11 BOMSERS overwhelming. In addition, the same rocketed. Bendix met the demands of division continued to be an important the Korean War, however, with a dif- supplier of aircraft carburetors, direct ferent management approach than it had fuel Injection systems, landing gears, used in World War 11. Instead of ex- struts, wheels, and brakes for the panding existing divisions, as it had in aircraft industry. About this time also, the 19401s, Korean War activities were the company initiated automobile radio spun away from the parent divisions, and electronic connector product lines. leaving space for the production of the products which the established divisions In 1946 and 1947, the Eclipse Pioneer retained. Spin-offs from the Eclipse Division faced some of the toughest Pioneer Division, for example, led to problems in the Corporation. It had new divisions called Pioneer Central, the most major subcontractors to ter- Utica, and Red Bank. These new minate and more government-owned divisions did not die when the war ended facilities to deactivate than any other as so many did in 1946: they are still division. In addition, its future pro- operating profitably today. duction activity was complicated by the fact that it had been operating at 30 The early 1950's saw Bendix introduce separate locations for military security several new and important products for reasons. Finally, its backlog of orders commercial - as contrasted to military - stantial segment of our business, of course, about 35 percent of our corpo- rate sales in 1965. However, we felt that the word "Aviation" in our corpo- rate name distracted from our major involvement in the automotive, space, "HALLMARKS of ACHIEVEMENT are missile, automation, and oceanic fields. Attributed To Bendix Radio ...I I

In 1965, Mr. Ferguson resigned as chairman of the board and president after almost 20 years at the head of our company. He continued to serve as a corporate director and as chairman of the Corporate Finance Committee until the following year. Mr. A. P. Fontaine was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1965 with Mr. George E. Stoll elected president and chief operating officer.

Bendix Field Engineering Corporation's place within the corporate structure can best be understood by returning to the 1936 creation of the Bendix Radio Divi- sion, from which Field Engineering subsequently emerged. Many develop- ments or "firstsftwhich stand out as hallmarks of achievement in American business are attributed to the Bendix Radio Division. Bendix Radio evolved from four electronic manufacturers which were then operating independently. The formation and evolution of these divisions is shown on the next page.

One of the four companies, Radio Research Company, had been started by Among the early products manufactured Production effort for World War I1 three engineers from the Naval Research was the first successful automatic direc- had reached large-scale proportions by Laboratory in Washington, D. C. for the tional finder (radio compass). The first this time, and great expansion took place. purpose of building military . single order ever placed by the U. S. The Towson, Maryland, plant came into Bendix bought one-half of Radio Research Government for over $1,000,000 worth being, and additional space was obtained and then expanded by acquiring Dayton of electronic equipment was received in buildings leased at Charles and 24th Radio Products, which produced test for these units. Similarly, Bendix Streets, East Monument Street, and equipment in Dayton, Ohio; W. P.Hilliard, Radio was the first company to success- West Belvedere Avenue. a Chicago firm which was involved in fully produce crystal frequency indicators, commercial aviation; and Jenkins & many thousands of which were built. Adair of Chicago, which manufactured During the war years, Bendix Radio audio products. Bendix combined the achieved renown in the manufacture of four to form a single company known By June 1938, the entire Bendix Radio the King Geroge tran~mitter~receiver, as the Bendix Radio Corporation, with Corporation organization had moved to which was redesigned from British to a western division in Chicago and an Fort Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. American standards in an amazingly eastern division in Washington, D. C. After a little more than three years of short time after Coventry, England, By December 1936 and January 1937, operation in the Baltimore area, the was bombed. The Queen Elizabeth Audio Research Company and Industrial wholly owned subsidiary of the Bendix radio was also produced at this time Instruments Corporation had joined the Aviation Corporation was annexed with and became the first fighter plane direc- organization. full divisional status on October 1, 1941. tion system. The "Queen" was a major 1936 1936 1936

RADIO I RESEARCH CO. Washington, D. C.

RESEARCH CO.

WESTERN DN. cWashington, D. C. Chicago & Dayton June 1938

THE BENDM RADIO CORPORATION

Fort Avenue Baltimore, Md.

1October 1941 BENDM RADIO DIVISION OF BENDJX AVIATION CORPORATION

4 April 1967 BENDIX FIELD ENGINEERING CORPORATION I BALTIMORE DIVISIONS (Captive name) I BENDM COMMERCIAL SERVICE CORPORATION I I Automotive Electronics Division Owings Mills, Maryland Division I I * Communications Division I

Formation and Evolution of Bendix Radio Division and Bendix Field Engineering Corporation factor in ending the blitz on England and contributed heavily in routing the Axis " Eight Men Formed The Nucleus Of Bendix forces in Africa. part of the engineering department Bendix Field Engineering continued to responsible for design and development diversify. Its capabilities expanded in As a result of the efforts during those the field and in the depot encompass years, Bendix Radio was the first plant of the radar which was just starting to to come off the production line in quantity. services and training on a wide variety in the electronics industry to receive of electronic, communications, and the Army-Navy "Elf citation for quantity This equipment was needed to imple- ment an early-warning radar network associated equipment -- not all of and quality production. Subsequently, Bendix origin. As the company' s scope additional stars for this citation were to protect the United States and its awarded for meritorious performance. allies against air attack. Although of work broadened to include service radar production was speeded up, the contracts with all the Armed Services, training of competent military person- with NASA, and with other governmental Development of the Bendix Radio nel needed to operate the system rapidly agencies and commercial firms, Field Division into the successful element of fell behind the production. Engineering was reorganized as a cor- the Corporation was greatly influenced poration. In 1962, BFEC, along with by the guidance of the late Mr. E.K. the Bendix Commercial Service Corpora- Foster, vice president and group man- The problem was clear. The Air tion, the sister corporation formed at ager of The Bendix Corporation. Force needed experienced men immedi- the same time, became a wholly owned ately. They had to ensure that the subsidiaries of The Bendix Corporation. After World War II, Bendix Radio, early-warning radar sets were installed along with many other similar plants, quickly and properly. Air Force planners suffered severe cutbacks in production. had to see that men were available to Although there had been postwar planning, operate the equipment and to train others the transition to a nonwar production to operate and maintain the system. level could not be made immediately, the overall work force being reduced The answer to the problem was the approximately one-third of its wartime development of the Contractor Support peak. Program. Bendix Radio was asked to furnish field engineers to supervise the installation and maintenance of Bendix- However, a new period of discovery built early-warning at the field and development commenced. The first few years of restless peace brought jet sites. On-the-job training by the field flight, advanced uses of atomic energy, engineers was supplemented by instruc- guided missiles, improved radar, and tion of military personnel at the Bendix factory. Depots were established to other innovations. provide technical assistance in emer- gencies and replacement parts directly One of the most notable names during from the factory. Mobile laboratories this time is R. J. Davis. Davis, chief were outfitted for periodic major main- radar design engineer, managed the tenance of the radar systems by crews development of the AN/FPS-3 heavy of Bendix specialists. ground radar for Bendix Radio. It was not until 1951 though that an FPS-3 radar was installed on the Eniwetok atoll and Within a few years, a worIdwide operated during the first H-bomb tests, organization had been established. Oper- tracking airplanes as far as 150 miles ations were no longer restricted to the away. U. S. air defense system, although the Fiald Engineering Department continued A few months earlier, in October to participate in all phases of the enhance- 1950, Bendix Radio Division had taken ment of this system as newer, improved one of its most important steps as far Bendix radar systems and ancillary as Field Engineering is concerned. equipments were emplaced into the sys- This step was the selection of eight tem. people to provide installation engineer- ing assistance to the U. S. Air Force While field engineering activites were Air Materiel Command for the FPS-3. expanding in overseas areas under Air It was these eight men who formed the Force cognizance, Bendix airport sur- nucleus of what now has become the veillance and precision approach radars Bendix Field Engineering Corporation were being installed, modified, and and the Bendix Commercial Service maintained for the Air Force, the Navy, Corporation. The engineers were and the FAA. Field Engineering ## Today, BFEC offers engineerfng support services ranging from depot overhaul of communications equipment at the Owings Mills, Md., facility to operation and maintenance of NASA's three major networks -- Manned Space Flight, Deep Space, and Space Tracking and Data Acquisition. Bendix Field Engineering has managed, and is cur- rently managing, some of the most nationally prominent and important programs in existance.

Work for the Air Force, supporting Bendix-built radar, continued for nearly ten years. As air defense require-

ments multiplied with the complexities tion with the Manned Space Flight Pro- of world politics, more complex radar gram has continued to this day. Bendix systems were demanded. Bendix Field Field Engineering operates and main- Engineering became involved with the tains 11 of the updated Apollo tracking Air Force in providing installation and stations; it also furnishes over 500 checkout of gap-filler radar into the people for engineering support to and SAGE network. Currentlv. BFEC is training at Goddard Space Flight Center providing field support for 'the Bendix in Greenbelt, Md. BFEC also operates Communications Division of the large. the aircraft fleet that is used for cali- 13-story, building-type space dete& ' bration and simulation at the NASA tion radar, SPADAT, at Eglin Air tracking stations. Additionally, BFEC Force Base, Florida. We also provide provides technical publications, depot engineering and installation services level module repair and test equipment for the Air Force throughout the Pacific calibration services to the MSFN. An- and Southeast Asia, supporting the cur- other related NASA project is the Apollo rent deployment of U. s. forces in Range Instrumented Aircraft (A/RIA), Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Philippines, where BFEC engineers assisted Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Douglas Aircraft in the systems design, installation and test of equipment for Bendix Field Engineering has been the A/RIA used as inflight telemetry supporting the scientific satellite and communications stations. network known as STADAN -- Space Tracking and Data Acquisition Network -- Recently the logistics support of the since 1958, when it was organized by STADAN and MSFN has been combined the Naval Research Laboratory as part under a new program which will involve of Project Vanguard. the eventual automation of all logistics functions. In 1967, BFEC was selected to operate portions of the STADAN at stations in the BFEC operations at Cape Kennedy United States, South America and the began in 1964 with the implementation Republic of Malagasy. Extensive support of a launch support contract from NASA. also is provided for NASCOM communi- The result of BFEC Support Activities cations, magnetic tape rehabilitation, has been the establishment of the STADAN training activities and Goddard Launch Support Division, a separate optical range and electromagnetic inter- division of The Bendix Corporation. ference activities. Deep space exploration in which In 1959, Bendix Field Engineering Bendix has been involved since 1960 was selected to assist in implementing includes the Deep Space Network, BENDIX TECWIClANS MAN TfIE Project Mercury by participating in the managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion installation of 18 ground tracking sta- Laboratory of the California Institute of JOXN F. gERNEDY SPACE eENTER tions around the world. This associa- Technology. Bendix Field Engineering Corporation has been under contracts to Corporation. COMSCO was formed in JPL in operating the Deep Space Instru- 1962 to take advantage of support ser- mentation Facility at Goldstone, Cali- vice opportunities to commercial fornia; Madrid, Spain; Cape Kennedy, industry abroad. Initial activities of Florida; and Ascension Island since the Corporation involved small con- the inception of this network. With a tracts with West German, Spanish, and team of over 350 personnel, BFEC Israeli Governments. In 1966, how- also operates and supports the Space ever, COMSCO embarked on a multi- Flight Operations Facility at Pasadena, million dollar contract with the Greek California. Calibration repair and Government for the implementation of logistics facilities at Goldstone pro- the NATO Missile Firing I~strumenta- vide support for the entire Deep Space tion (NAMFI) facility on the island of Network. It is this participation that Crete. Generally speaking, the offi- has made BFEC a part of such suc- cers and management of COMSCO are cessful space probes as the Ranger, identical to those of BFEC. Surveyor, Lunar Orbiter, and the Mars and Venus fly-bys of the It was stated earlier that the modern Mariner. Bendix Corporation, of which Bendix Field Engineering and Commercial Programs conducted by BFEC for the Service Corporations are an integral U. S. Army have included installation, part, is highly diversified and tech- operation, and maintenance of three nically oriented. It is appropriate now another, but the list includes neither communications satellite programs, to amplify those two aspects of the our bicycle brake business, at one end engineering and installation of micro- corporate character. of the technical spectrum, nor the wave communications at Fort Meade, nuclear components we build for the Md. , and in Puerto Rico. Since 1960, People who attempt to classify The Bendix Corporation into one industrial AEC at the other. Whole classes of pro- BFEC has been involved in the engi- ducts, such as those which go into farm neering and installation of Project category or another usually end up &&- Criticom, a worldwide, cryptographic- ing their heads and giving up in frustra- equipment or the many varied products secure communications system coordi- tion. We have the same experience our- we manufacture for the electronics nated by the Department of Defense J6 selves when we try to describe our industry, are missing from our list. committee. operations in certain terms. For exam- In terms of the products we build and ple, we normally list our activities as the markets we serve, The Bendix For the U. S. Navy, BFEC has falling into the five broad market areas Corporation literally defies classi- provided rehabilitation of ground of aerospace, automotive, electronics, fication. controlled-approach radar, electronics oceanics, and automation. However, engineers to the Naval Air Engineering In an effort to answer the frequently even while we are listing these market asked question, 'What kind of a company Center, and operation and maintenance areas, we realize that the list is a com- is Bendix?", a reply recently used by services to the Naval Space Surveil- promise. It is true that some 90 percent our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. A. P. lance System to detect "silent" satel- of our sales during the last year can be Fontaine, describes us rather succinctly lites and "space junk. Also, BFEC " fitted under one of these markets or and well. "Bendix a scientific and operates experimental stations in sup- is port of the Naval Research Laboratory. TfiE F-f I I IS EQUIPPED WTTH MAJOR SYSTEMS FROM THREE BENDIX DIVISIONS Since 1963, the Corporation has fur- I I nished technical support to the U. S Marine Corps for engineering studies, equipment modifications, and equipment design and fabrication. The success of these activities enabled BFEC to expand its USMC business with the award of a contract for depot overhaul of three- dimensional, state-of-the-art radars. To fulfill depot expansion requirements of both the Marine Corps and the Army, Bendix leased in 1967 a new facility with 20.000 square feet of floor space at 2905 Whittington Avenue in Baltimore, Md., which has been completely out- fitted for depot overhaul activities. Commercial Service Corporation COMSCO for short, is, like BFEC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Bendix technological corporation dedicated to borrowing their individual identities from notably in the automation and oceanics creating new ideas and developing them it. Almost all of our products demon- markets - will help bring commercial to maximum usefulness - whether we' re strate this technical orientation, and all sales to the level of our expanding serving as creative engineers, manu- but a few of them have a high proportion government business before long. facturers, or professional problem of their cost devoted to engineering ex- solvers for industry and government. " penses. In very plain language, we are not especially good at making simple things, We at Bendix believe that each gen- If our products and markets are but in creating the products that require eration of products and technology diverse, our point of view - our orienta- our particular scientific and technical should surpass its predecessors in tion - is not. Bendix is scientifically skills, we consider ourselves very good excellence, ingenuity, and performance and technically oriented, and this char- indeed. and that all of our products and services acteristic runs through all of our opera- must reflect the integrity that is one of tions, bringing unity from our diversity. The company that Vincent Bendix Bendix' most precious assets. The This technical orientation is reflected founded some 42 years ago joined in vision and energy of men like Vincent in the background of our more than 85,000 1966 that elite group of American com- Bendix, Ernest Breech, and Malcolm employees in this country and abroad, panies with annual sales of over $1 bil- Ferguson provided us with a secure 16,500 of whom are engaged in research ljon. We are still working to attain a foundation upon which we can continue and development. Every one of our 71 fifty-fifty split in our sales between to grow and to prosper. domestic and foreign divisions and sub- government and commercial business. sidiary companies fits this pattern, con- We have not attainted that goal yet, but tributing to the corporate character and the continuing acquisition program - STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THE BENDIX CORPORATION

VOLUME: Establish a program for attaining and maintaining a continuous growth rate of at least 12% per annum in domestic and foreign corporate sales and thereby achieve a 1.2 billion dollar sales volume in FY 1967 and 1.5 billion by FY 1969. Accomplish this goal through development of products from within, and aggressive acquisition of businesses and products from without the Corporation. Increase Corporation's industrial and commercial sales volume to the point of at least a corporate mix of 50% commercial and 50% government sales in FY 1967.

EARNINGS: Develop a program of improving the earning capabilities of the Corporation to achieve an overall corporate profit of $4.00 a share in EY 1967, and $5.00 a share by FY 1969.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Develop a program to increase the Corporation's return on invested capital commensurate with the increased size of the Corporation, achieving 8% return on investment after taxes in FY 1967, and 10% by FY 1969.

DIVERSIFICATION & ACQUISITION: Pursue a strong and active acquisition program which will account for approximately one-half of the Corporation's projected annual growth in volume.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: Conduct a vigorous program of research and develop- ment in the generation of new products and technology. Develop and improve the Corporation's scientific and engineering capabilities in all its fields of endeavor. MANUFACTURING: Conduct a continuous program of modernization of existing manu- facturing facilities, equipment, processes and methods, consistent with adequate return on investment and depreciation practices, to improve productivity and qualrty, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. LOSS PRODUCTS: Eliminate or dispose of loss products and product lines when it has been established, after thorough and careful study, that their continuance cannot be made profitable, or adopt measures to correct conditions causing losses.

MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT: Establish conditions and create an atmosphere within the Corporation which will stimulate employee growth through challenges and fuller utilization of talents and capabilities. Improve the Corporation's management techniques and management talent through more effective ~ersonnelselection and administration, more attention to methods of management, establishment of sound personnel research and successful management development programs, and more effective audit of available talent and management performance. BENDIX IMAOE: Establish an effective communications program which will enhance Bendix' prestige in its scientific and technological endeavors; protect and further the reputation of its products, services and name; and develop a greater understanding of the Corporation, its policies, problems, and operations among management personnel, other employees, stockholders, customers,vendors, government agencies and the public.

NOVEMBER 15. 19M Proposals And Presentations Section - Technical Publications And Graphic Arts Department

Fiera=nginwring Reisterstown Rpad and Painter's Mill Road Corporation Owings M'llhs, Md 211V Tel (301) 363-1100

Mr. David L. Christensen Documentation Coordinator Saturn History Program University of Alabama Huntsville, Alabama 35807

August 26, 1969

Dear Mr. Christensen:

This is in response to your recent request to our Corporate Headquarters in Southfield, Michigan concerning material for possible use in your history of the Saturn program. I have enclosed for your information and use, two booklets titled, '"endix Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" and '"endix. . . . . Apollo 11 Mission Profile".

I hope these might be of some use to you in your project and if I can be of any further service, don't hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely yours,

Director, Pbblic Relations I

jp cc: J. B. Tierney Enclosures