Metal Ware Corporation is a company located in Two Rivers, Wisconsin and manufactures small kitchen appliances primarily marketing them under the NESCO and American Harvest brand names.
History
1927-1940
Metal Ware Corporation was co-founded by Joseph Koenig, who also founded the Mirro Aluminum Company and William H Ellis II. Metal Ware filed for incorporation on August 18, 1920. The company was a successor to Two Rivers Plating which was founded by Henry Mixa in 1902. In October, 1920, property was purchased from Two River Plating and Manufacturing Company. The company's primary products were copper and nickel-plated utensils.
The 1920s saw growth in the company with employment reaching 100 by 1927. A popular product of the company was a full feature miniature stove measuring 21 inches wide, 17 inches high and only 10 inches deep. It was particularly popular with apartment dwellers. Metal Ware announced an agreement with Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co. to sell these compact stoves. They also announced a contract with General Electric to handle their stoves for export trade.
In addition to several different sizes of electric ranges, they were also producing electric percolators and educational toys including an electric power 'steam' engine. In the first seven years of existence, the company grew enough that they were advertising that they were the 'Worlds Biggest Electrical Toy Factory".
In 1928, Metal Ware introduced a new style of sandwich toaster with an expandable hinge and was designed to toast both sides of an assembled sandwich at the same time as well as making French toast and grilling bacon.
In December, 1931, Elmer Drumm, who had worked at the Mirro Aluminum Company, along with his brother Charles Drumm, Elmer Bleser, and Victor C. Trastek purchased Metal Ware. At the time of the purchase, the company was renamed The Metal Ware Corporation.
In 1936 the Empire line of toy trains was spun off into a separate business named Empire Products Company. The Metal Ware Corporation continued to manufacture the toys for the new company. At this time, it was also announced that they obtained a franchise for making Disney character toys from the Silly Symphonies animated short films.
As with many companies at the time, they experienced the effects of the growth of labor unions with the American Federation of Labor announcing that they completely unionized the employees of the Metal Ware Corporation in 1937.
1941-1945
In April 1942, The Metal Ware Corporation announced that it would have contracts for arms production.
By December 1944, essential consumer goods were in short supply and the War Production Board authorized The Metal Ware Corp to resume production of electrical appliances as materials and labor became available.
In April 1945, because of continued war production, the company began construction of a 2500 s.f. addition to their plant.
For national security reasons, plant production was often not made public until after the war was over. In 1946, it was reported that The Metal Ware Corporation had been producing electric lanterns for soldiers and electrical appliances for naval ships.
1946-1980
In 1950, The Metal Ware Corporation bought the assets of the Herah Electric Specialty company in Milwaukee and moved the dies, patterns and materials inventory to its Two Rivers plant. The Herah company was in the business of manufacturing electric wall heaters, electric fireplace logs, portable heaters, and fluorescent lighting specialties... They had employed fewer than a dozen people.
Business growth continued to fuel expansion. An additional 6000 s.f. of warehouse space was construction in 1952.
In the mid 1950s, metal toys continued to be a large part of the company's business making up nearly half of their production with the largest portion of that being it the miniature ranges. Other products produced include toy electric irons with ironing boards, electric trains, various small appliances marketed under the Empire name such as electric corn poppers and Lady Aristette hair dryers.
A major change came to the company in March 1960 with the passing of Elmer O. Drumm who had been president of the company since purchasing it in 1931. Elmer was succeeded in August by his son Wesley C. Drumm. He was promoted from the position of General Manager. He had been associated with the firm since 1947 and had become the sales and advertising manager in 1953.