V. Tecumseh Products Steps In -- "...he said he gave us turkeys for Christmas...because when he was growing up they were poor and they couldn't afford turkeys." - Cordia Ross, Acklin press operator on Raymond Herrick, founder and longtime chairman of Tecumseh Products.

B. Acklin Production Under Tecumseh, 1952-1954

Essentially becoming Tecumseh Products in house stamping plant, Acklin's production of Tecumseh related goods expanded, quickly becoming the bulk of Acklin's output. Acklin continued to stamp a variety of other outside parts including parts for major automobile manufacturers. These other stamping jobs helped to stabilize the cyclical production schedule involved in the production of air conditioners and refrigerators.

Following World War II, rising incomes and lowered prices created an increased demand for a wide variety of luxury goods. Technological advances made by the government during the war were utilized for the first time in such civilian goods as air conditioners, refrigerators, automobile engines and bodies, and televisions. Tecumseh was uniquely positioned to capitalize on this growing demand and their business grew dramatically.

Air conditioning production began in the winter with maximum output coming in February, March, and April. This was necessary in order to send these casings to assembly factories where they would be included in the actual units, ready for sale during the hot summer months. August was the slowest time for this production and as a result the plant would shut down for two weeks each August, during which time a majority of the employees would take a vacation, while some would do general maintenance, repair, and improvements work on the plant.

The spring of 1953 saw the Big Line busy producing housings for room air conditioners, sales of these appliances were way up from years previous and Acklin was there to meet the demand. Tecumseh approved approximately $45,000 in plant expansions and new machinery purchases in order to increase output. To accommodate these new orders, Acklin ordered more expensive steel than they usually used and hired a large number of new employees. But skilled employees were hard to find. Following the war many returning veterans went to college and took jobs above the factory production level, and more and more high school graduates were following the same path.