National Motor Bearing
It seems that if you lived on the Peninsula between 1935 and 1970 there was a high probability you or someone in your immediate sphere of acquaintance, worked at the "National Motor Bearing Co." (NMB), in Redwood City.
Originally founded in 1920 in San Francisco, by Lloyd A. Johnson, NMB initially established a plant in Oakland, which was then moved to Redwood City in 1942. Johnson, a man who had built his company from scratch, went on to invent and patent in 1936 the process of making laminated shims.
This was a big deal. Shims are thin pieces of metal or composite used to fill in space between components for adjustment of fit in mechanical assembly. It is a valuable design and assembly tool that replaces machining and grinding of component parts to achieve the required accuracy. During WWII - this was an advantage as it reduced the assembly time of machined components, by eliminating the need to regrind or repair inaccuracies in machining.
Shims are usually applied to rotating shafts and sliding surfaces where wear or crushed forces affect a component part. They have many applications in different fields: Pumps & motors, motor support struts, thrust reversers, fuselage, landing gears, gas turbines, Hydraulic controls, refrigeration, and industrial ventilation machines, injection molding, extrusion, printing, paper machinery, Machine tools, Automotive, Aircraft, Aerospace market; Agriculture and civil engineering equipment.
All along the top of the exterior walls of the Redwood City factory plant building, its branding shouted out exactly what it did: NMB produced "shims and oil seals", for transportation - trains, planes, automobiles, ships, subs - you name it. It was a key defense industry during WWII and one of, if not, the major employer of the city at that time. It also had 2 subsidiaries: the Arrowhead Rubber Co., and National Seal Co.
This was a big deal. Shims are thin pieces of metal or composite used to fill in space between components for adjustment of fit in mechanical assembly. It is a valuable design and assembly tool that replaces machining and grinding of component parts to achieve the required accuracy. During WWII - this was an advantage as it reduced the assembly time of machined components, by eliminating the need to regrind or repair inaccuracies in machining.
Shims are usually applied to rotating shafts and sliding surfaces where wear or crushed forces affect a component part. They have many applications in different fields: Pumps & motors, motor support struts, thrust reversers, fuselage, landing gears, gas turbines, Hydraulic controls, refrigeration, and industrial ventilation machines, injection molding, extrusion, printing, paper machinery, Machine tools, Automotive, Aircraft, Aerospace market; Agriculture and civil engineering equipment.
All along the top of the exterior walls of the Redwood City factory plant building, its branding shouted out exactly what it did: NMB produced "shims and oil seals", for transportation - trains, planes, automobiles, ships, subs - you name it. It was a key defense industry during WWII and one of, if not, the major employer of the city at that time. It also had 2 subsidiaries: the Arrowhead Rubber Co., and National Seal Co.
In 1956, the company merged with Federal-Mogul Bower of Detroit which propelled NMB as one of the top 300 companies of the country.
But prior to being bought out by Federal-Mogul, NMB was one of the most modern high tech places to work at - and all this courtesy not just of its products and workforce - but because of the amazing Advertisements, dreamed up by Arthur Radebaugh in the Marketing & Advertizing Dept. Radebaugh worked for NMB between 1951 and 1955, when it was at its all time brand peak - immediately before it was bought out by Federal Mogul. (Click here to view some of NMBs amazing futuristic advertizing and read more on the story of Arthur Radebaugh.)
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| National Motor Bearing Co of Redwood City, in 1948, to the left of the image - with Friendly Acres right of the red border. |
Friendly Acres was surrounded by open pastureland to the north, east and west. Marsh Manor shopping center was still a field. And orchards seemed to fill the empty lots behind many gardens in the Friendly lots.
The National Motor Bearing plant in Redwood City eventually closed in 1971, however Federal Mogul continues to operate today.
References & Other External Links
Over at Bits of History, curated by the Redwood City Public Library and San Mateo County Historical Association, they have an interesting digital collection of local historical photos for public viewing. Three interesting photos on National Motor Bearing can be viewed here:
Over at Bits of History, curated by the Redwood City Public Library and San Mateo County Historical Association, they have an interesting digital collection of local historical photos for public viewing. Three interesting photos on National Motor Bearing can be viewed here:
- Exterior of the Building - circa 1950
- Interior of the Building - c. 1950
- Great aerial view of South side of Redwood City, 1947, with NMB in foreground and Friendly Acres at the top of the image.
Historic Aerials by Netr Online, is a wonderful site where you can view other aerial maps from previous decades. Looks like 1948 is the earliest historic aerial they have. You can purchase the maps online, (which also make for great present ideas).
