SCNonline (www.SuburbanChicagoNews.com)
Select a newspaper
Local News
  About Us
  Business
  City Guide
  Features
  News
    Past Week
    Yesterday
  Obituaries
  Opinion
    Columnists
    Letters
  Our Town
  Police Blotter
    Trooper Talk
  Sports
  Weather
  Web Street Cafe
  World View
News & Features
  AP Wire
  At Home
  Business
  Dining Guide
  Election 2000
  Entertainment
  Features
  Health
  Movies
  Pro Sports
  Speak Out
  Web Street Cafe
  World View
Classified
  Autos
  Career Center
  Classifieds
  Real Estate
Specials
  Business Directory
  Cartoons
  E-The People
  For Singles Only
  Photo Galleries
  Special Sections
  TV listings
  Virtual Postcards
Site Tools
  About Us
  Advertiser Index
  Privacy Policy
  Search
  Site Map

OMC timeline

  1903 — Louis Johnson comes up with plan for first outboard motor1907 — Ole Evinrude patents the first outboard motor1909 — Evinrude Motor Co. formed in Milwaukee1911 — Johnson and his brothers, Harry, Julius and Clarence, develop the first single-wing airplane in Terre Haute, Ind.1913 — Evinrude Motor Co. sold1917 — Johnson Motor Wheel Co. formed in Terre Haute to build motorcycles1920 — Johnson brothers move to South Bend, Ind., build first prototype of their outboard motor1927 — Johnson Motors moves to Waukegan1929 — Evinrude, two other companies form Outboard Motors Corp., survives Great Depression1934 — Ole Evinrude dies1936 — Outboard Marine and Manufacturing Co. formed by merger of Johnson Motor Co. and Outboard Motors Corp.1942 — Company begins making motors for landing crafts used in World War II1946 — Company begins to see rapid growth following post-war recreational boom1956 — The company becomes Outboard Marine Corp., diversifies into golf carts, scooters, chain saws and garden equipment; expands on its 114-acre lakefront site1968 — Three millionth Johnson Outboard comes off Waukegan assembly line1975 — Aluminum die-casting plant completed on 10-acre lakefront site; worldwide, company has 3,600 employees1976 — Clarence Johnson, the last Johnson brother, dies1979 — Company opens manufacturing plants in Southeast1982 — Sixth millionth Johnson Outboard produced at Waukegan plant1986 — Company begins boat-buying spree, eventually buying nine companies across the U.S.1989 — OMC sells Lawn-Boy division to Toro1991 — Recession takes toll on company profits1995 — Whirlpool Corp. executive Harry Bowman takes corporate helm, succeeding James Chapman1997 — OMC acquired by group of investors led by financier George Soros1998 — Company closes Milwaukee plant, parts of Waukegan facility; sells off its portion of Volvo-OMC stern drive to Volvo2000 — Chairman David Jones leaves in August; massive layoffs announced, while plants are shut down; OMC files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

JOIN A DISCUSSION FORUM: Want to debate this story with others? Join us in the Waukegan news forum.

12/23/00

TODAY
Get daily news headlines via e-mail
Send a virtual postcard
Today in history
More national headlines updated every hour
TODAY'S STORIES

CONTACT US
E-mail:
Contact SCNonline
Contact your newspaper
Report a Web problem
Advertise online
Sun Publications News Sun Herald News Courier News Beacon News