Continuing an American Tradition

The year was 1894 and it was a time of opportunity for two Swedish immigrants working at Chicago's Bell Telephone Company. With the expiration of the patents on Alexander Graham Bell's telephone, about thirty independent companies sought to capture a piece of the market that Bell had dominated. Determined to manufacture a "betterphone", Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson created one such company. They each contributed $500 to form their partnership in 1894 and two years later moved into Chicago's Springer building.

With Carlson working in the plant and Stromberg out selling the product, their company began it's rapid growth. The Stromberg-Carlson® phone became known as the "farmer's telephone" as it improved the communication capabilities of the American farmer by connecting towns and breaking down the harsh isolation of rural life. By the turn of the century, Stromberg-Carlson emerged as a leader among the independent telephone manufacturers. This was due to their reputation for stable prices, integrity and a strong emphasis on quality workmanship.

Stromberg-Carlson's first telephone was developed in 1894
A few years later, Stromberg-Carlson accepted a lucrative purchase offer from the Home Telephone Company in Rochester, NY - one of the largest independents of the time. This transaction proved beneficial to both companies. Stromberg-Carlson would be provided larger facilities for future growth and the Home Telephone Company could enjoy Stromberg-Carlson's supply reliability. In 1904, Stromberg-Carlson's original Chicago plant was closed and all operations were moved to New York.

The onset of World War I created a great demand for Stromberg-Carlson's intricate communications equipment to the point that all civilian business was put on hold. Stromberg-Carlson produced portable telephones and campswitchboards vital to the Signal Corps fighting in Europe.Again, during World War II, Stromberg-Carlson responded to the needs of America.

They increased production of their advanced communication products supplying switchboards, telephone instruments, field radio sets and sound powered systems to the U.S. Navy. Stromberg-Carlson continued to grow after World War II.

World War I Signal Corps men operate a switchboard to keep in touch with the front
With technology booming, the company capitalized on it's scientific excellence and expanded into the electronics industry. General Dynamics, a major defense supplier, was attracted by these scientific abilities and Stromberg-Carlson's developments in electronics.

In 1955, the two companies merged. During the 1960's, in an effort to consolidate the wide range of products they were manufacturing, Stromberg-Carlson decided to concentrate on their traditional market: the U.S. independent telephone industry. Midway through the decade, they acquired the United States Instrument Corporation in Charlottesville, Virginia - a major manufacturer of telephone components. Over the next 10 years, the telephone manufacturting divisions of Stromberg-Carlson were moved to Charlottesville. In 1982, a company at the forefront of research in telecommunications, Comdial Corporation, purchased the Charlottesville facility from General Dynamics. This acquisition provided Comdial with a major product design and manufacturing operation with which to implement the technology they had developed. Comdial could now continue the 88 year tradition of telephone manufacturing in the United States.

Comdial's 500,000 square foot plant houses the complete design, manufacturing and marketing work force.
The divestiture of AT&T in 1984 created a volatile time in the field of telecomunications. During this time, Comdial Corporation remained dedicated to preserving the fundamental values behind the successful manufacture of American made telephones and telephone systems. Today, with outstanding prices, integrity and quality workmanship, Comdial Corporation stands on the leading edge of technology committed to excellence in the field of telecommunications.


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