Tiffin Art Metal Company

Product Details

Historical Context

The Tiffin Art Metal Company was organized to primarily produce stamped ornamental steel ceiling panels such as seen in older commercial structures. These were also used in almost all schools and courthouses in the first quarter of this century.

In 1928 with the advent of motoring, billboards became a fad and Tiffin Art Metal evolved as one of the two main manufacturers of large billboards in the country.

During the war years, products included military shell casings and barracks fire buckets. In 1942 a major portion of the building burned down but was later rebuilt.

The company was a locally stock owned company until the mid-1950’s, when it was bought by Springfield-Green Industries. By this time, the product line included metal corrugated roofing and down spouting.

The company again changed hands in the early 1960’s. It was purchased by Mid-Continent Manufacturing, a mini-conglomerate. At that time several government contracts were added including components for high reach boom trucks. As this business phased out, a new product line entered – cabs for construction equipment such as cranes. Also, at this time a modular metal cabinet line was added for use primarily in schools.

In 1969, a company named A-T-O absorbed Mid-Continent. The cab business was expanded into the agricultural market.

The name was changed to Hadco-Tiffin in the early 70’s as a subsidiary of Hadco Engineering in Los Angeles, still part of the A-T-O group. The relationship with Hadco brought yet another product line to Tiffin; axles for travel trailers that were manufactured until 1975. It was then that the agricultural cab markets were expanded.

Later in the 70’s, the company name was changed to Tiffin Metal Products and the entity became a full-fledged division of A-T-O. Shortly thereafter, A-T-O changed its name to Figgie International.

Related Collections