In the midst of the great depression, a business
was started, which became an industry leader. Known today as HR Textron, our company
had its humble beginnings as a gun repair shop. For some families during the depression,
sporting rifles offered a way to put food on the table. But few could afford a
new gun. So repairs became critical.
Recognizing
this opportunity, J. D. "Buck" Buchanan founded Buchanan Manufacturing
Company in Los Angeles in 1932. A machine shop making replacement parts for guns,
Buck Buchanan demanded superior quality from his shop - producing parts to his
exacting standards.
Few
other local companies produced such a high level of precision in those days. So
Buck Buchanan began applying his precise standards in the fledgling aircraft industry
taking flight at the time. During
World War II, Buchanan Manufacturing's capacity was used to support the war effort.
We manufactured critical hydraulic parts and assemblies for fighter planes built
by nearby Lockheed Aircraft.
Reflecting
the company's expanded business, Buchanan Manufacturing was
renamed Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing Co. in 1943
and was incorporated in 1944. However, when the war ended
in 1945 so did the military subcontracts. Buck Buchanan again
needed a vision to profitably re-purpose his precision machine
shop.
During
the Korean War, Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing became
known for its actuators that were installed on aircraft engines
made by North American Aviation. Then, in 1954, another customer,
Bell Helicopter, bought Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing
Co., Inc. from Buck Buchanan, but kept Buchanan on as president.
In
1960, Textron, Inc. bought Bell Helicopter and its subsidiaries, which included
our company. At that time, the development of servovalves was well underway, and
Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing was at the forefront of this technology.
The stage
was set for dramatic growth at Hydraulic Research & Manufacturing, which was
renamed the Hydraulic Research Division of Textron.
Under
the leadership of Carroll "Marty" Martenson from 1960 to 1970, Hydraulic
Research flourished. Our company diversified through acquisitions, and developed
a nurturing and creative work environment, which drove technology, sales and profits.
This continued
under Sam Garcia, who ran Hydraulic Research from 1972 until
he retired in 1987. Garcia had started with the company in
1947, as a machinist, and had worked his way up to the top
job, completing forty years service with our company. In 1982,
with Garcia at the helm, the Hydraulic Research Division was
reincorporated as HR Textron, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Textron.
By the
end of The Cold War, HR Textron had become known as "The
Controls Company" defining its leadership and pioneer
status in fluid-power aircraft controls on both military and
private aircraft as well as fixed-wing and rotor aircraft.
Today, HR Textron is an operating
unit of Textron Systems - a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company
providing innovative solutions to the defense and aerospace
communities.
| 
