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).
12 comments
Write commentsFriendly Acres is at the right of the above image, not the left - National Motor Bearing site was on Broadway between Woodside Road (Expressway) & Chestnut Street EAST of downtown Redwood City - My father woked 6-days a week for NMB from 1942 until his death in 1954 (age 76) building the shipping crates.
ReplyClaude DeMoss
Native of Redwood City (1-16-34
E-mail: Sequoia1952@aol.com
Claude, Thanks for catching this! you're absolutely right! Friendly Acres is on the right of the Red mark of the image. I should know, I live there... I was up late one night writing the piece, and got my 'left' and 'right' mixed up. Have corrected the image label.
ReplyThank you for visiting the blog.
Hi, My grandfather was Dwight O Johnson; Lloyd Johnson was his brother. My grandfather worked at NMB during it's operation. My family has some NMB materials; as well as other historical materials from that time - what is the best way to handle these materials? Do you have a contact at the historical society? Any information would be great. My email is shagberg007@comcast.net Thanks, Sharon Johnson Hagberg
ReplyHi Sharon - thanks for visiting the blog. You may want to contact the San Mateo County History Museum (http://www.historysmc.org/) first on 650.299.0104 or email them at archives@historysmc.org. Mitch Postel who heads up the San Mateo County Historical Association can be reached on that number - his email address is mpostel@historysmc.org.
ReplyJim Clifford (pjcliff62@yahoo.com), who looks after the Journal of Local History for San Mateo Co, can also be reached and can help you with referrals depending on the type of materials or artifacts you may have.
I don't know where you live, but the history and archives section of your local library would also be a good place to contact. They can help you identify where best to donate any materials you may have....
The Local History Room of the Redwood City library would also be very interested in knowing about any materials you might have, since NMB was a Redwood City based company. Website: https://www.redwoodcity.org//library/info/localhistoryroom.html; Tel:650.780.7030; Email: rcllh@redwoodcity.org
Sharon - all of the above institutions in the county would welcome contributions or historical materials. With their guidance they can tell you where best to donate any materials you may have for preservation, maintenance and sharing, especially if they are of local, regional and national interest. (With something like National Motor Bearing, based on the hits I get to the blog in regard to the NMB article, and their importance to the WWII war effort, any materials would be of local, regional, and national interest.)
Ultimately as a donor, its for you to decide on where to deposit, or give, any materials you'd like to contribute.
Hope this helps and thanks again for dropping in to the blog!
Bea Spangler
friendlyhistorycorner.blogspot.com
p.s. It would be particularly interesting to know more about or from your grandfather, Dwight, in regard to his time at NMB. Is your grandfather still alive? If you have any pictures or stories from him you'd care to share and post on this blog so that others who worked at NMB who happen to land on this article can then read - we'd love that too!
Hi Sharon, DOJ was my great-uncle and Lloyd A, Johnson was my grandfather. I have many memories of NMB in Redwood City...as well as Woodside. Best, Bill Sowles
ReplyHi Bill - Great to meet you! I have fond memories of my grandparent's home in Woodside; as well as swimming in your grandfather's pool. It was such a treat! Hope all is well. Take care, Sharon
ReplyHi Sharon, are you the daughter of D.jr; Earl or Charles? Best, Cousin Bill Sowles
ReplyMy Father (Ross BeVier) was maintenance foreman at NMB from 52/3- till they closed.He moved back to Frankfort, Indiana to become the plant engineer there I think it was 1969 or 70. I worked there in the leather department on a click press for a couple summers during school.
ReplyI just found your blog and enjoyed the article on NMB in Redwood City. My mom, Evelyn Hunt, worked there while my dad was in the Army. I think she also worked in the leather department because we had "rounds" of leather around the house that I played with as a child. She also grew a Victory Garden to help feed the neighbors. Mom passed away in May at age 100.
ReplyI worked around the beam press, click press, and also set up the molds for the ladies to operate molding the seals from 1955 to 1958. Also worked outside in the shed dipping hides.
ReplyJoe Conroy
Can anyone help me with this V-E Day First day cover envelope from May 8th 1945,I found this in a box of stamps I purchased recently, It writes that only a thousand were made, hoping someone can direct me to find more info thanks John
ReplyWell, I know that I am entering this blog about a decade late, but hopefully not too late. By way of introduction, I am Charles Johnson , the youngest and recently became the sole survivor of Dwight O. Johnson sr’s four sons (Dwight jr., Walter, Earl and Charles). My father (Dwight sr.) was Lloyd Johnson’s youngest brother (there was Lloyd, Willard sr. and Dwight sr.) My father (Dwight sr.) spent his entire working career working at National Motor Bearing Company (NMB) when it first started by his oldest brother Lloyd in the early 2920’s before NMB started making oil seals and shims. Eventually my father was made Vice President and served as Senior Vice President up until NMB merged (basically bought out by) Federal Mogal in the mid1950’s). So, at about age 57 my father permanently retired. During all his years at NMB he made it a point to get to know and share his sincere love with as many of the employee staff as possible. Fir the rest of his all too short life (he suddenly passed away in 1971 at age 67) he managed his investments and helped establish Trinity Presbyterian Church in San Carlos and subsequently the Portola Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola (which actually started in our Woodside family home).
ReplyHis primary focus was on his and my Mother Eleanor‘s 14 grandchildren.
The first above contributor above, Sharon Hagberg, is my brother Reverend Walter Johnson’s youngest daughter.
Here’s a favorite story I love to tell about my numerous visited to NMB. It was one day when I.was about 6 or 7, will my mother (Eleanor) and went to see my father (Dwight sr.) and I asked my dad if I could go out in the plant a watch the operation of the very large metal punch presses. He said of course, burnet all the safety rules I taught you about staying safe and out of the way of the workers. So, out I went into the noisy heavy machinery area of the plant. As I was standing near one of the biggest punch presses, the operator yelled at me and asked in sort of a gruff voice, “Who said you could be out here by yourself?” I timidly answered him with “ my dad said I could come out here and watch what you are doing.” He said, @Who’s your dad?” I said, Dwight Johnson.” The man immediately changed his accusatory tone of voice to very solicit and said, “Oh! Come sit right here on the stool next to me.” I felt very privileged.
There are may other stories I could share, but will spare you for now.