Delphi’s history in Kokomo

October 10, 2006 05:25 pm

— 1935: Crosley Radio Corp. starts building Chevrolet radio line at the former Haynes Automobile Co. body plant site, which the company received free from the chamber of commerce.
1936: General Motors buys Crosley, launching Delco Radio Division. Operations started in one building and employed 428 people.
1937: Plant 2 is built south of Plant 1 to manufacture carburetors.
1940: Delco Radio produced its millionth car radio.
1941: Delco Radio ends most civilian production and focuses on war effort. Equipment produced during the war years includes anti-radar devices, and other radio equipment designed for military use.
1943: Plant 3 is built east of Plant 2 to build two-way field radios for the war effort.
1948: Plant 6 is built southeast of Plant 1 for final assembly operations.
1951: Plant 5 is built at 1723 N. Washington St. to meet increasing demand for military production as well as civilian car radios.
1952: Delco Radio produced its 10 millionth car radio. Production of circuit boards begins.
1954: Large manufacturing area built south of Plant 2. Administration building erected on Firmin Street.
1961: Plants 8 and 10 are built on U.S. 31. Delco Radio produced its 30 millionth car radio.
1962: Began integrated circuit development program.
1964: Plant 9 is built at U.S. 31 complex.
1965: Produced first stereo radio.
1968: Delco Radio produced its 50 millionth radio.
1970: Milwaukee-based AC Electronics Division is consolidated with Delco Radio and renamed Delco Electronics Division. Products include guidance and navigation systems for Apollo space flights.
1975: Established Solid State Design Center in Kokomo.
1981: Produced 200 millionth speaker.
1982: Announced major expansion program in Kokomo that included construction of a 65,000-square-foot cleanroom for manufacturing semiconductor chips.
1985: Delco Electronics achieved corporate status when it was named a subsidiary of the newly-formed GM Hughes Electronics Corp. Introduced PASS-Key anti-theft device on 1986 Corvette.
1987: Corporate Technology Center opens.
1988: Introduced Head-Up Display for automobiles.
1992: All GMHE automotive electronics development activities integrated into Delco Electronics Corp.
1997: Delco Electronics is moved from Hughes Electronics to Delphi Automotive Systems, where it was renamed Delphi Delco Electronics Systems.
1999: General Motors spun off Delphi Automotive Systems as its own separate, publicly traded company.
2002: Delphi Automotive Systems became Delphi Corp. in order to reflect all of its products and services
2005: Delphi Corp. declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.