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{{Short description|Defunct American electronics and appliance company (1892–1961)}}
{{for|the cycling team|Philco (cycling team)}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Philco
| former_names = {{plainlist|
* Helios Electric Company
* Philadelphia Storage Battery Company
}}
| logo             = Philco logo.svg
| image = 
| image_size = 
| predecessor      = 
| type             = [[privately held company|Private]] (1892–1961)<br/>[[Subsidiary]] (1961–present)
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|1892}}
| location_city    = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]
| location_country = U.S.
| area_served      =  Worldwide
| key_people       = [[Philo Farnsworth]]
| industry         = [[Electronics industry|Electronics]]
| products         = [[Consumer electronics]]
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| num_employees    = 
| market cap       = 
| owner = 
| parent           = [[Philips]] (North America),<br>[[Electrolux]] (elsewhere)
| subsid = 
| brands = 
| homepage         = {{URL|https://www.philco-intl.eu/home-en}}
}}
'''Philco''' (an acronym for '''Philadelphia Battery Company''')<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://acronymsandslang.com/definition/173333/PHILCO-meaning.html |title=What does PHILCO mean? |access-date=2022-06-19 |archive-date=2015-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403111823/http://acronymsandslang.com/definition/173333/PHILCO-meaning.html |url-status=live }}</ref> is an American [[electronics industry|electronics]] manufacturer headquartered in [[Philadelphia]]. Philco was a pioneer in battery, radio, and television production. In 1961, the company was purchased by [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and, from 1966, renamed "Philco-Ford". Ford sold the company to [[GTE]] in 1974, and it was purchased by [[North American Philips|Philips]] in 1981, which became a subsidiary of the Dutch company Philips in 1987. In North America, the Philco brand is owned by Philips. In other markets, the Philco International brand is owned by [[Electrolux]].

In the early 1920s, Philco made storage batteries, "socket power" [[battery eliminator]] units (plug-in transformers), and battery chargers. With the invention of the rectifier tube, which made it practical to power radios by electrical outlets, in 1928, Philco entered the radio business.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.philcoradio.com/history/hist2.htm |title=The History of Philco: Chapter 2: From Batteries and Socket-Powers to Radios |access-date=2014-04-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710074728/http://www.philcoradio.com/history/hist2.htm |archive-date=2013-07-10 }}</ref> They followed other radio makers such as [[RCA]], [[Atwater-Kent]], [[Zenith Electronics]], Freshman Masterpiece, FADA Radio (Frank A. D'Andrea Radio), and AH Grebe into the battery-powered radio business. By the end of 1930, they were selling more radios than any other maker, a position they held for more than 20 years.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/philco-history/chapter-3-leadership-in-radio/ |title=Chapter 3: Leadership in Radio; Philco History. |access-date=2019-11-15 |archive-date=2019-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116000051/https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/philco-history/chapter-3-leadership-in-radio/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Philco built many iconic [[radio]]s and [[television set]]s, including the classic [[cathedral]]-shaped wooden radio of the 1930s (aka the "Baby Grand"), and the [[Predicta]] series of television receiver sets of the 1950s.

[[Philo Farnsworth]], credited for inventing the first fully functional all electronic television system ({{US Patent|1773980}}, filed Jan 7, 1927), worked at Philco from 1931 to 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/farmboy-who-invented-television-while-plowing-180964607/?q=|title=The Farmboy Who Invented Television|first=Kat|last=Eschner|website=smithsonianmag.com|access-date=24 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/farnsworthp.htm|title=The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Farnsworth, Philo|website=www.museum.tv|access-date=24 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430163426/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/farnsworthp.htm|archive-date=30 April 2017}}</ref>

==Early history==
Philco was founded in 1892 as Helios Electric Company.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mahon |first=Morgan E. |title=A Flick of the Switch 1930–1950 |publisher=Antiques Electronics Supply |date=1990 |page=117}}</ref>  From its inception until 1904, the company manufactured [[Arc lamp#Carbon arc lamp|carbon-arc lamps]]. As this line of business slowly floundered over the last decade of the 19th century, the firm experienced increasingly difficult times. As the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, in 1906 it began making batteries for [[electric vehicle]]s. They later supplied home charging batteries to the infant radio industry. The Philco brand name appeared in 1919.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-20 |title=The Transistor at 75: The First Makers, Part 4 |url=https://www.eejournal.com/article/the-transistor-at-75-the-first-makers-part-4/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=EEJournal |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Radios===
[[File:Philco Socket Power A -Battery eliminator--1925.jpg|left|thumb|Philco produced Socket Power "A", "B", and "AB" Battery Eliminators, starting in August 1925. Model A-60 "A" Socket Power Battery Eliminator shown.]]
[[File:Philco Socket Power A & B Battery eliminators - 1925 August brochure.JPG|thumb|Philco Socket Power A & B Battery Eliminators - 1925 August brochure]]
[[File:Philco B socket power battery eliminator-Aug 1925.jpg|left|thumb|Philco Model B-60 "B" Socket Power Battery Eliminator - August 1925]]

Until the mid- to late-1920s, all radios except [[crystal set]]s were powered by [[vacuum tube batteries]] which were expensive, needed frequent charging, and leaked [[battery acid]], reducing the [[wife approval factor]] in the home. A very successful August 1925 Philco consumer product, called the "Socket Power [[battery eliminator|Battery Eliminator]]", was a [[rectifier]] unit which enabled users to operate radios from standard [[light socket]]s. By 1927 over a million of these units had been sold, but from that year the industry began manufacturing [[batteryless radio]]s using [[RCA]]'s [[Vacuum tube#AC power|AC tube]]. The almost immediate end of demand for battery eliminators forced Philco to quickly design and manufacture its own radios that used [[household power]]. The first Philco radios were introduced in mid-1928, and 96,000 were produced that year, making Philco radios 26th in the nation in production volume.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Ramirez |first=Ron |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Philco-Radio-1928-1942-Ramirez-1993.pdf |title=Philco Radio 1928-1942 |publisher=Schiffer Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=0-88740-547-9 |location=Atglen, Pennsylvania |pages=6–7,10,12,109–110,161 |access-date=2024-12-13}}</ref> Up to that time most radios were handmade and priced for relatively wealthy consumers. Atwater Kent, the leading radio seller, coincidentally was also located in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Storage Battery Company decided that prices of radios could be scaled for a mass market by incorporating assembly line techniques then only used by the automobile industry. By the 1929 model year, Philco was in third place behind Atwater Kent and Majestic (Grigsby-Grunow Corp) in radio sales. In 1930, the company sold 600,000 radios, grossed $34 million, and was the leading radio maker in the country. By 1934, they had captured 30% of the domestic radio market.<ref>Internal Philco Corp. document ''Philco-Ford Image'', by Glenn Allison, app. 1965</ref>

[[File:Philco cathedral radio.jpg|right|thumb|A Philco 90 "cathedral" style radio from 1931]]
Philco radios were economical without sacrificing quality or durability. Like other makers of the era, they offered a wide line of radios beginning with five-tube sets all the way up to high-fidelity consoles with 20 tubes in 1937–38. Philco also made battery-powered radios which were by then called "farm radios", most of which had cabinets identical to their AC powered versions. The Philco "Baby Grand" (today called "cathedral" radios by collectors) was a shape that featured an arched top that wrapped from the sides over the top. This was for economic reason partly, as one piece of wood formed both the top and sides. Philco sold far more of this style than any other maker, a total of over two million (in over twenty models, with from four to eleven tubes) from 1930 to 1938;{{sfn|Mahon|1990|page=116}} many of them exist today in collections. By today's standards, most are still excellent performing AM band radios when restored.

A few of their innovations were very futuristic. From 1939 to 1941, they sold radios that were operated by wireless remote control,<ref name=":1" /> the one-tube "Mystery Control", used on their 13-tube model 116RX-SU (or 39-116).{{sfn|Mahon|1990|page=127}} This feature was not offered by any other maker until the 1970s stereo receivers. Philco ranked 57th among United States corporations in the value of [[World War II]] military production contracts.<ref>[[Whiz Kids (Department of Defense)|Peck, Merton J.]] & [[Frederic M. Scherer|Scherer, Frederic M.]] ''The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis'' (1962) [[Harvard Business School]] p.619</ref>

Another interesting product was the Philco "Beam of Light" 78 RPM record players offered in 1941 and 1942.  These units had a tiny mirror attached to the player's needle.  A beam of light was focused on the mirror which caused a vibrating light to hit a photoelectric cell and produce the audio signal.  While this system had some advantages over the standard crystal phono cartridge of the time, it was unreliable and is today a very difficult unit to restore.

==Expansion==
In 1941, in response to outside needs for personnel skilled in [[electronics]], Philco founded a training and installation organization that evolved into its TechRep division, with hundreds of personnel styled as ''Field Engineers'' or ''TechReps'' in positions worldwide.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Company-Publications/Philco/Philco-1956-09-10.pdf|title=The Past, Present, and Future|journal=Philco TechRep Division Bulletin |volume=6|issue=5|year=1956|publisher=Philco Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://philcoradio.com/library/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/RR0294-1957-Philco-Techrep-Employment-Opportunities.pdf|title=Philco TechRep Division {{!}} First in Employment Opportunities the World Ovwe|year=1957|publisher=Philco Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://philcoradio.com/library/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/RR0294-1957-Philco-Techrep-Employment-Opportunities.pdf|title=Philco TechRep Bulletin & Philco News|publisher=Philco Corporation|accessdate=November 21, 2024}}</ref> This division later became the foundation for the [[Ford Aerospace]] organization.

[[File:Predicta model television 1958-59 DMA.jpg|thumb|Philco Predicta TV set, 1958/1959 ([[Dallas Museum of Art]])]]
[[File:Consumer Reports - product testing - Philco Wringer Washing Machine.jpg|thumb|Philco Wringer Washing Machine, 1969]]
Philco began marketing car radios in 1930 and later expanded into other areas including air conditioners (1938), refrigerators (1939), home freezers (1946), consumer televisions (1947), electric ranges (1949), home laundry washers and dryers (1954), and home entertainment products. Their first consumer television set, the 1948 table Model 48-1000, had a {{convert|10|in|cm|abbr=on}} [[black-and-white]] screen and sold for US$395 {{USDCY|395|1954}}.

By 1954, Philco had led the radio industry in sales volume for 24 straight years, selling over 30 million radios.<ref>Internal Philco Corp. book ''The Story Of The Philco Franchise'', 1954</ref>

Philco was also a pioneer in television broadcasting, launching Philadelphia experimental station W3XE in 1932. In 1941, the station became the third commercially licensed TV operation in the United States as WPTZ. It was sold to [[Westinghouse Broadcasting]] in 1953 and became [[KYW-TV]], a [[CBS]] [[owned and operated]] station.

The [[Philco Predicta]] TV set was introduced in 1957 for the 1958 model year. It was a black-and-white television with the picture tube mounted in a unique steerable pod on a pedestal. There were many versions: 17" or 21" picture tubes, wood or metal cabinets and table or floor standing versions, some with rare UHF tuners. Its specially designed, high-deflection-angle (to achieve a shallow front-to-back depth) picture tube turned out to be unreliable, and cost the company dearly in repairs and reputation. The 1959 model included a console and a table model.<ref name=":1" /> Many of them were sold to motels and bars due to the convenience of the swivel tube arrangement.  It was discontinued in 1960; a disappointing failure for Philco.<ref>MZTV - Museum of Television http://www.mztv.com/newframe.asp?content=http://www.mztv.com/predicta.html {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131120032146/http://www.mztv.com/newframe.asp?content=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mztv.com%2Fpredicta.html |date=2013-11-20 }}</ref> Due to the unique design, the Predicta is a collector's favorite and restored examples can easily be found.

[[File:Philco SB100 surface barrier transistor ad=1955.jpg|left|thumb|Philco Surface Barrier transistor announcement]]

===Transistor research and product development===
{{see also|Philco computers}}

In late 1953, engineers at Philco Corporation invented the [[surface-barrier transistor]],<ref>Wall Street Journal, "Philco Claims Its New Transistor Outperforms Others Now In Use", December 4th 1953, page4</ref> the first high frequency transistor suitable for use in high speed computers.<ref name="ROSEN1991">{{cite report | author=Saul Rosen | author-link=Saul Rosen | title=PHILCO: Some Recollections of the PHILCO TRANSAC S-2000 | institution=Purdue University | type=Computer Science Technical Reports / Purdue e-Pubs | number=CSD-TR-91-051 | url=https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1890&context=cstech | date=Jun 1991 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124554/http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1890&context=cstech | archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> Philco Corporation had produced a late 1950s  production film about its surface-barrier transistor manufacturing processes and product developments that was titled, "''Philco Transistors - The Tiny Giants Of The Future''"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txuei4PgzjY].

A May 1954 news article describes Philco's development of a pre-production indium-coated transistor that used silicon instead of germanium that relied on further improvements in silicon refinement to bring to production.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oN0DAAAAMBAJ&dq=1954+Popular+Mechanics+January&pg=PA137 |title=Popular Mechanics |date=May 1954 |publisher=Hearst Magazines |pages=137 |language=en}}</ref>

In June 1955, the [[National Security Agency]] and the [[United States Navy]] entered into a contract with Philco to build a specialized scientific transistorized computer based on Philco's surface barrier transistor technology. The project was called SOLO, since the idea was to have powerful personal workstations, and the computer was later commercially named the Philco Transac S-1000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1890&context=cstech|title=Some Recollections of the PHILCO TRANSAC S-2000}}</ref> The SOLO transistorized large scale scientific computer was finally built and delivered to the National Security Agency in November 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fifthgen.com/PatentsLicensing.html|title=Fifth Generation Computers - Patents and Licensing|website=www.fifthgen.com|access-date=24 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004171645/http://www.fifthgen.com/PatentsLicensing.html|archive-date=4 October 2017}}</ref>  Philco also entered into a contract with the U.S. Navy's David Taylor Basin Research Division in 1955, to build a larger scale fully transistorized computer using its surface-barrier transistor technology, which was named the CPXQ model and later became the Philco Transac S-2000.<ref name="ROSEN1991"/><ref>{{cite report | author=Saul Rosen | title=Electronic Computers &mdash;- A Historical Survey in Print | institution=Purdue University Department | type=Computer Science Technical Report | number=CSD-TR-68-025 | url=https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1183&context=cstech | date=Jul 1968 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083407/http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1183&context=cstech | archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

Philco had developed and produced a miniature transistorized computer brain for the Navy's jet fighter planes in 1955 and it was called the "Transac" (C-1000, C-1100), which had stood for "Transistor Automatic Computer." The Philco Transac computer brain had used its high-frequency surface-barriers transistors in the circuitry design.<ref>Inventing the Electronic Century, Author: Alfred Dupont Chandler Jr., Page 40</ref><ref>The Philco Serviceman, September 1955, Volume 23 No.9</ref><ref>''Wall Street Journal'': "Radio Men Told Of Rapid Counter", March 25, 1955</ref>

[[File:Chrysler Imperial all transistor car radio audio sound news clip.oga|left|thumb|1955 Chrysler - Philco all transistor car radio - "Breaking News" radio broadcast announcement]]
[[Chrysler]] and Philco announced that they had developed and produced the world's first all-transistor car radio and it was announced in the April 28, 1955, edition of the ''Wall Street Journal''.<ref>''Wall Street Journal'', "Chrysler Promises Car Radio With Transistors Instead of Tubes in '56", April 28, 1955, p.1</ref> Chrysler made the all-transistor car radio, Mopar model 914HR, available in Fall 1955 for its new line of 1956 Chrysler and Imperial cars, as a $150 option {{USDCY|150|1955}}. Philco's radio manufacturing plant in Sandusky, Ohio, had produced the all-transistor car radio unit for the Chrysler Corporation, which also used Philco's [[surface-barrier transistor]]s in its circuitry design.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hirsh |first=Rick |url=http://www.allpar.com/stereo/Philco/index.html |title=Philco's All-Transistor Mopar Car Radio |publisher=Allpar.com |access-date=June 1, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603034452/http://www.allpar.com/stereo/Philco/index.html |archive-date=June 3, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_mopar_914_hr_ch_c_5690hr.html |title=Mopar 914-HR Ch= C-5690HR Car Radio Philco, Philadelphia |publisher=Radiomuseum.org |access-date=June 1, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016060841/http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_mopar_914_hr_ch_c_5690hr.html |archive-date=October 16, 2013 }}</ref><ref>Walter P. Chrysler Museum, {{cite web |url=http://www.chryslergroupllc.com/company/Heritage/Pages/Chrysler-Heritage-1950.aspx |title=Chrysler Heritage 1950-1959 |access-date=2016-03-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102194514/http://www.chryslergroupllc.com/company/Heritage/Pages/Chrysler-Heritage-1950.aspx |archive-date=2014-01-02 }}</ref><ref>Philco TechRep Division Bulletin, May–June 1955, Volume 5 Number 3, page 28</ref>

[[File:Philco All-Transistor Phonograph-1955.jpg|right|thumb|Philco all-transistor model TPA-1 phonograph, developed and produced by Philco in 1955]] 
In 1955, Philco developed and produced the first all-transistor phonograph models TPA-1 and TPA-2. This was announced in the June 28, 1955, edition of the ''Wall Street Journal''.<ref>''Wall Street Journal''; June 28, 1955; page 8; "Phonograph Operated On Transistors to Be Sold by Philco Corp."</ref> Philco had begun selling these phonographs in the fall of 1955 for $59.95 {{USDCY|59.95|1955}}. The October 1955 issue of ''Radio & Television News'' magazine (page 41) printed a full-page, detailed article, on Philco's new consumer phonograph. The Philco all-transistor portable phonograph TPA-1 and TPA-2 models played only 45rpm records and used four 1.5v "D" batteries for its power supply. "TPA" stands for "Transistor Phonograph Amplifier". Its circuitry used three Philco [[germanium]] PNP alloy-fused junction audio frequency transistors. After the 1956 season ended, Philco discontinued the all-transistor portable 45rpm phonograph models, for transistors were too expensive compared to vacuum tubes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_tpa_1_tpa1.html |title=TPA-1 M32 R-Player Philco, Philadelphia Stg. Batt. Co.; USA |publisher=Radiomuseum.org |date=June 28, 1955 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021204215/http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_tpa_1_tpa1.html |archive-date=October 21, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1956.htm |title=The Philco Radio Gallery - 1956 |publisher=Philcoradio.com |date=March 12, 2012 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621172556/http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1956.htm |archive-date=June 21, 2013 }}</ref>

The Philco Transac models S-1000 scientific computer and S-2000 electronic data processing computer, were the first commercially produced large-scale all transistor computers, which were introduced in 1957.<ref>Digital Computer Newsletter, Office of Naval Research (unclassified), April 1957, pages 7-8</ref><ref>''Chicago Tribune'', March 23, 1958, "All Transistor Computer Put on Market by Philco", page A11</ref> It used discrete surface barrier transistors instead of vacuum tubes (the integrated circuit had not yet been invented).<ref name="ROSEN1991"/><ref>Rosen, Saul, [http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/doi/10.1109/MAHC.2004.1299658 "Recollections of the Philco Transac S-2000"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629143207/http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/doi/10.1109/MAHC.2004.1299658 |date=2011-06-29 }}, ''IEEE Annals of the History of Computing'', vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 34-47, Apr.-June 2004.</ref><ref>[http://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/companies.php?alpha=m-p&company=com-42bc217e88ad2 "Profile: Philco"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920233905/http://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/companies.php?alpha=m-p&company=com-42bc217e88ad2 |date=2010-09-20 }}, ''[[Computer History Museum]]''</ref><ref>Philco Corporation, [http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Philco/Philco.transec_S2000.1958.102646276.pdf "Philco Transac S-2000 Information Brochure"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707102647/http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Philco/Philco.transec_S2000.1958.102646276.pdf |date=2010-07-07 }}, 1958</ref> It also used a fast adder, invented by [[Bruce Gilchrist]], [[James H. Pomerene]] and Y.K. Wong of the [[Institute for Advanced Study]]. It incorporated a speed-up technique for asynchronous adders reducing the time for additive carry-overs to propagate.<ref name="GILCHRIST">Gilchrist, Bruce, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/epic/pdf/gilchrist_3.07.06.pdf "Remembering Some Early Computers, 1948-1960"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022185315/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/epic/pdf/gilchrist_3.07.06.pdf |date=2012-10-22 }}, ''Columbia University EPIC'', 2006, pp.7-9. (archived 2006)</ref>

[[File:Philco Safari TV advertisement sign-1959.jpg|right|thumb|Actual store easel display of a 1959 Philco Safari Transistorized portable TV]]

In 1959, Philco developed and produced the first battery-powered portable transistorized TV.<ref>''Los Angeles Times'', June 02, 1959, page 10</ref> This TV model was called the "Safari" and contained 21 transistors. Philco had developed the VHF [[micro-alloy diffused transistor]] (MADT)<ref>''Wall Street Journal'', October 09, 1957, page 19: "Philco Says It Is Producing A New Kind Of Transistor"</ref> and used them in the Safari portable TV.<ref>''Fortune Magazine'', September 1959 issue, page 55</ref> The retail selling price was $250.00 {{USDCY|250|1959}} plus the cost of the rechargeable battery, which was $5.25 extra {{USDCY|5.25|1959}}.<ref>''The New York Times'', June 01, 1959, pages 37,41</ref>
 
In 1962, the Philco 2000 Model 212 computer was chosen for use in the [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]]'s famous [[Cheyenne Mountain Complex]]. Three of them were installed that year{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}} and ran until 1980. They were also used by research labs at [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation (1886)|Westinghouse Electric]] and [[General Electric]].

===Space systems===

In 1960, the [[Courier 1B]], built by Philco, became the first active repeater satellite. Courier 1B was built by the Western Development Labs (WDL) division of Philco, previously known as "Army Fort Monmouth Laboratories" ([[Fort Monmouth]]).

In 1960, [[NASA]] contracted with Philco to build the worldwide tracking station network for [[Project Mercury]], and all subsequent man-in-space space projects until the ground station network was replaced by the [[TDRS]] communication satellites in the 1990s. Philco's Western Development Labs ultimately became [[Space Systems/Loral]], which continues to manufacture spacecraft. In later years, the company produced automotive electronic controls, aerospace tracking systems, and artificial satellites.

In 1963, Philco was also responsible for the design, manufacturing, installation, and service of all the consoles used in both Mission Operations Control Rooms (a.k.a. Mission Control) at Building 30 of NASA's [[Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center]] in Houston, Texas.<ref>{{cite book | last=Dethloff | first=Henry C. | title=Suddenly Tomorrow Came... A History of the Johnson Space Center | publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration | year=1993 | author-link=Henry C. Dethloff | chapter=Chapter 5: Gemini: On Managing Spaceflight | page=85 | isbn=978-1502753588 | chapter-url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/suddenly_tomorrow/suddenly.htm | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720223847/http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/suddenly_tomorrow/suddenly.htm | archive-date=2015-07-20 }}</ref> Philco technical representatives worked with NASA staff to design and integrate the consoles with NASA hardware and systems. The consoles were used for the [[Project Gemini|Gemini]], [[Apollo program|Apollo]], [[Skylab]], and [[Space Shuttle]] missions until 1998. The Philco-designed and installed consoles in Mission Control 2 at the Johnson Space Center have been preserved and will be restored to their Apollo-era configuration for historical purposes. The control room is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the "Apollo Mission Control Center".

===Water purification systems===

In 1971, Philco-Ford began to sell [[reverse osmosis]]-based water purification systems that used tube-shaped membranes developed by the company to filter and desalinate raw polluted water for municipal utilities and manufacturing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Gain Reported In Purifying Water|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ctBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AgIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3237%2C2938928|access-date=2013-10-24|newspaper=The Toledo Blade|date=1971-09-09|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

==Demise==
[[File:Philco Ford Fridge Badge.jpg|thumb|Refrigerators branded Philco-Ford appeared in 1966.]]
On December 11, 1961, [[Ford Motor Company]] purchased Philco and continued to offer consumer products, computer systems and defense related projects.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1961-11-29 |title=Ford Deal Approved By Philco |pages=18 |work=Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112048107/ford-deal-approved-by-philco/ |access-date=2022-10-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1961-12-12 |title=Ford Puts Own Men In Philco |pages=15 |work=Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112048374/ford-puts-own-men-in-philco/ |access-date=2022-10-26}}</ref> The company, which had supplied Ford with some of its car radios as early as the 1930s, continued to provide Ford with car and truck radio receivers; consumer product investments were also made to color television production. Along with color and black and white television, Philco continued to produce refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, stoves, radios, portable transistor radios, portable phonographs, console audio systems with high quality "Mastercraft" furniture cabinets, and component stereo systems.

The company branded Philco products as "Philco-Ford" in 1966, and console stereo systems reached their zenith during 1966 and 1967, with high quality cabinet construction and powerful stereo chassis systems of 100- and 300-watt consoles. Philco at one time was one of the largest furniture producers in the world, but the end was near for "high quality" furniture cabinets along with stereo equipment. Solid wood cabinets with veneers were replaced with cheaper wood composites covered in vinyl paper and plastic wood pieces. The quality electronic systems that had been built in the United States were replaced with new designs and systems, engineered and built at a plant owned by Philco-Taiwan. Eventually, all consumer electronic goods would be made by Philco-Taiwan, to lower costs of production and be more competitive in the market. The prevailing industry trend was to move consumer electronic manufacturing to Asia in order to lower the cost of labor and production, and Philco-Ford was no exception to this.  Heavy consumer goods (major appliances) such as refrigerators, air conditioners and washer-dryers continued to be built in the United States, along with television receivers.

Ford dropped the computer business a few years into its ownership of the company.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1974-10-12 |title=Sylvania to Buy Part of Ailing Ford-Philco Unit |pages=18 |work=Detroit Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112048669/sylvania-to-buy-part-of-ailing/ |access-date=2022-10-26}}</ref>

In 1973, a complete line of breakthrough refrigerators was introduced, consisting of eight side-by-side "Cold Guard" models, which used about one-third less electricity than comparable competitive makes.<ref>Ford Motor Company 1973 Annual Report, page 15</ref> But by January 1974, Ford was eager to rid itself of the home products in Philco's lines, which was not doing well.<ref name=":0" /> Negotiations with appliance maker [[White Consolidated Industries]] (WCI) started in January, but were called off in March.<ref name=":0" /> By September, Ford and [[GTE-Sylvania|GTE Sylvania]] – Philco's largest competitor – announced the sale of the non-automotive parts of the business, with the exception of the new refrigerator range, which Ford also kept. The deal closed on December 11.<ref name=":0" />

In 1977, GTE sold Philco International to earlier suitor White Consolidated Industries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.philco-intl.com/company-history |title=Company History |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031201213/http://www.philco-intl.com/company-history |archive-date=2014-10-31 }}</ref> (In 1986, WCI was bought by [[AB Electrolux]].)

The company (as well as the Sylvania brand name) was acquired from GTE by [[North American Philips|Philips]] (NAP) in 1981 so that NAP could use its trademark in the [[United States]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} Philco had been able to keep NAP from using its trademark because of the similar-sounding names, so NAP had sold its products in the United States under the name "[[Norelco]]". In 1987, NAP became a wholly owned subsidiary of Dutch electronics company Philips. Philips later used the Philco name for promotional consumer electronics and licensed the name for private brands and retro-style consumer electronics. Philips also licensed the Philco brand name to [[Funai]] for [[Digital television adapter|digital converter boxes]] for [[analog television|analog TVs]] in the USA.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://philcousa.com/product/TB100HH9.php |title=TB100HH9 |access-date=2014-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324003529/http://philcousa.com/product/TB100HH9.php |archive-date=2016-03-24 }}</ref>  As of September 2019, the US website is no longer functioning.

==Non-U.S. branding==
[[File:Greekphilcographic drop2.jpg|thumb|250px|right|European logo]]

In [[Brazil]], Philco (then [[Hitachi, Ltd.|Philco-Hitachi]]) was acquired in 1989 by [[Itautec]], becoming [[Itautec-Philco]] and in August 2005 Itautec sold Philco to [[Gradiente]]. In August 2007, Gradiente sold the brand to a group of investors, who intended to license the brand to Brazilian appliance maker Britânia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-31 |title=G1 - Economia e Negócios - NOTÍCIAS - Britânia aluga a marca Philco por 10 anos |url=https://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Economia_Negocios/0,,MUL96665-9356,00.html |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=g1.globo.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Massari |first=Lidia |date=2023-09-18 |title=Philco e Britânia são a mesma empresa? Descubra a verdade! |url=https://www.montarumnegocio.com/philco-e-britania-sao-a-mesma-empresa/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Montar um Negócio |language=pt-BR}}</ref>

In 2003, the [[Merloni Group]] acquired rights to the Philco brand (from Philco International) for use in [[Italy]].<ref>[http://www.antoniomerloni.it/extranet/eng/area1_azienda AntonioMerloni.it] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004145326/http://www.antoniomerloni.it/extranet/eng/area1_azienda |date=2006-10-04 }}</ref> The Italian Philco produces household appliances in affiliation with ex-[[Bendix Corporation]] and [[Thorn EMI]] Moyor Electronics (e.g. Bendix 71258 1000 automatic washing machine 1986). As of 2006, the company is mainly known in [[Australia]].

[[File:Logophilco124816.png|thumb|250px|right|South American logo]]

In [[Argentina]], in March 2004, Philco was acquired by a group of Argentine investors. The presence of Philco in Argentina dates from 1930 and remains a traditional mark of appliances in this country. It manufactures refrigerators by Helametal Catamarca S.A. (Philco Argentina). All the line electronics, LCD TV, Car Stereos, Air Conditioning, MWO, Audio & DVD, is represented by Newsan SA SANYO and DatandHome SA, with the line of washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioning, water heaters, also the same group.

In [[Chile]], the brand belongs to [http://Fujicorp.cl Fuji Corp S.A]., a company that markets speakers, headphones, accessories for audio, TV and telephony, as well as appliances and electrical items, under this brand.

In [[Italy]], Philco brand televisions were produced during the 1980s by Imperial Electronics of [[Milan]].

==See also==
*''[[The Philco Television Playhouse]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/philco.htm A brief history of Philco]
* [http://www.philcoradio.com/ The Internet's Leading PHILCO Resource with comprehensive history and photo gallery sections as well as on online forum devoted to Philco]
* [http://www.philcorepairbench.com/ Everything for the Philco antique radio collector and restorer]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030526135452/http://exreps.com/ Online community of former Philco Tech Reps]
* [http://www.PhilcoRadio.com/ PhilcoRadio.com]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waca90Fzetk Video: Philco's Early Computers]
{{Electrolux}}
{{Electronics industry in the United States}}
{{Philips}}

[[Category:Defunct electronics companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Battery manufacturers]]
[[Category:Consumer electronics brands]]
[[Category:Electrolux]]
[[Category:Ford Motor Company]]
[[Category:Philips]]
[[Category:History of radio in the United States]]
[[Category:History of television in the United States]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1892]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1892]]
[[Category:1892 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American brands]]
[[Category:Defunct computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Radio manufacturers]]
[[Category:Defunct computer companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct computer systems companies]]