One of the oldest, largest, and most respected nameplates in the trucking industry during the last century was White Motors of Cleveland. Regarded as one of the big-10 producers, the famous marquee was actually started as a subsidiary of the world-renowned White Sewing Machine Co.
In 1859, Thomas White, an excellent self-taught machinist, began production of his hand-operated sewing machine in Massachusetts. Following the trend of others moving to the Midwest, his tiny company settled on the banks of the Great Lakes in Cleveland in 1876. The new central location made product distribution and exposure to new markets much easier. Fourteen years later, his successful market share made it possible for him to expand into the wildly popular bicycle market. The 1890s also marked the beginning of another fad: the automobile.
White's sons, already involved in the family business, persuaded their father to allow them to investigate and produce a self-propelled automobile prototype. Both brothers traveled to Europe to explore the established steam-powered miracle machines in the French automotive market. Rollin White, a seasoned engineer, returned to develop his flash-boiler, a unit that was safer and faster in steam production than competitive makes.
As the tiny American automotive market began to flourish, the brothers set up an automotive department at White. With White machine-component engineers assisting, 1899 saw its first product: the White steam-powered automobile. This first unit was a two-cylinder, undercarriage-mounted affair, utilizing tiller steering and chaindrive. A small delivery truck, dubbed the Pie Wagon, followed, and with superior craftsmanship, product awareness, and sales success, the new subsidiary-White Motor Car Co.-emerged.
Rollin, Windsor, and Walter White quickly expanded the brand image of their steam-powered platforms. The brothers soon realized, however, that gasoline-powered units were becoming more popular, and in 1910, they dropped the boiler-along with the rest of the field. The company continued its reputation for expensive, high-quality, and rugged cars and light trucks. A 3-ton truck model, the GTA, appeared with a 30hp engine and chaindrive. In 1912, the 5-ton TC was added.
When hostilities broke out in Europe at the start of World War I, the company rapidly became involved in the production of converted civilian vehicles for military use; 18,000 of these platforms were produced. Though White produced large numbers of converted civilian vehicles for the U.S. Army, it was Czar Nicholas of Russia who ordered a vast fleet of trucks, which generated much positive publicity for the company. At the war's conclusion in 1918, White found itself in the enviable position of capturing 10 percent of the U.S. truck market and focusing entirely on its truck operations.
The roaring '20s continued profitable growth for White, with many employees considering the company a family affair. White's first six-cylinder platform, the 3-ton Model 59, appeared in 1928; 10-ton, three-axle versions followed in 1930. By 1929, however, the company faced several problems. Walter White died in a car accident, and the family engineer, Rollin, left to start the Cleveland Tractor Co. The employees, unhappy with the sudden changes, unionized in 1933. Several missteps included a brief merger with Studebaker-Pierce Arrow and the purchase of the Indiana Truck Co. from Brockway Trucks.