Grimes Manufacturing Company

Lore & Background

The Grimes Manufacturing Company was founded by Warren G. Grimes in 1933 after a small plane manufacturer suggested in 1932 that they would like a better light. Grimes initially used a portion of the Armbruster building before moving to an 1,800-square-foot converted garage on North Russell Street, where the company started in November 1933. During World War II, the company built an additional building to handle increased production and also built Grimes Field, which it operated until 1987. It expanded again in 1966 with a new 42,000-square-foot addition. From the 1960s to the 1980s, the company operated a Beech 18 called the Grimes Flying Lab to test its lights. In 1977, Grimes was purchased by Midland-Ross Corporation. Less than two years later, Midland-Ross announced its intention to purchase a building at Greenwood County Airport in Greenwood, South Carolina for manufacturing operations. In 1981, Midland-Ross acquired Mansfield Aircraft Products Company and made it a subsidiary of the Grimes Division. The division was restructured in 1982 into Grimes Galley Products, Grimes Lighting Products, and Grimes EL Products; the Galley unit closed two years later. Following a consolidation in 1991, the company reemerged as Grimes Aerospace. In 1992, construction began on a 20,000 square foot expansion of the Greenwood facility. It was purchased by AlliedSignal in 1997; the sale was later questioned after it was revealed that AlliedSignal pressured credit ratings companies to ignore the unrated bonds of Grimes investors. AlliedSignal, which later became Honeywell, maintains a presence at two separate locations in Urbana.

Reader's Guide

The Grimes Manufacturing Company's significance lies in its role as a specialized manufacturer of aircraft lighting systems, a niche that supported aviation safety and operations from its founding in 1933. Its history reflects growth through wartime production, facility expansions, and the innovative use of a flying testbed (the Grimes Flying Lab) to develop lighting products. The company's legacy includes its acquisition by larger corporations: first by Midland-Ross in 1977, then by AlliedSignal in 1997, which later became Honeywell. The sale to AlliedSignal was controversial, as it was revealed that AlliedSignal pressured credit ratings companies to ignore the unrated bonds of Grimes investors. Despite ownership changes, the company's original Urbana, Ohio location continued to host a Honeywell presence. The company's evolution through restructuring—including the creation of Grimes Galley Products, Grimes Lighting Products, and Grimes EL Products in 1982, and the closure of the Galley unit in 1984—demonstrates its adaptation to market demands. The consolidation in 1991 into Grimes Aerospace and subsequent facility expansions in Greenwood, South Carolina further mark its industrial footprint.

Did You Know?

• Grimes was purchased by AlliedSignal in 1997; the sale was later questioned due to AlliedSignal pressuring credit ratings companies to ignore unrated bonds of Grimes investors.
• The company built Grimes Field during World War II and operated it until 1987.