Avionics News July 2018 - 58

series
At a recent AEA International Convention & Trade Show, AEA President Paula Derks asked member companies the following
question: What's working for you? Derks challenged AEA members to share their success stories, best practices and ideas
that are working for their respective companies. This article is part of a series that highlights how AEA member companies
recognized challenging economic circumstances, and how they responded and overcame them.

What's

Working?

Business initiatives that are elevating companies to success
S T O R Y

B Y

T H O M A S

I N M A N

Kelly Manufacturing Co.
finds success by
adapting through time

ost people recognize the name R.C. Allen
and will remember the cash registers,
adding machines and typewriters. Those in the aviation
world will think of flight instruments and tachometers.
Perhaps less known is the name Kelly Manufacturing
Co, which is the manufacturer of the R.C. Allen line of
instruments and an AEA member company since 2003.
Ralph C. Allen founded R.C. Allen Inc. in 1932, in
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Known as the Furniture City,
Grand Rapids was a good place to start a business. Adding
machines and typewriters complemented the furniture being
produced in the area. Before long, Allen changed the name to
R.C. Allen Business Machines Inc.
World War II brought about changes throughout all the
manufacturing industries in the United States. Car companies
were churning out tanks and airplanes, and R.C. Allen began
producing aviation instruments. The company produced
thousands of turn-and-bank indicators. This facet of the
business continued and expanded after the end of the war.
The company produced thousands of rate gyro transmitters
for the military jets of the day. The space race created
another need, and R.C. Allen filled it by producing subminiature gyroscopes for Saturn rockets. According to the
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avionics news

july

2018

company, "20 of the special gyros were in orbit at the same
time."
The Cold War produced a need, as well. R.C. Allen, along
with other contractors, began making tachometers for the
Boeing B-52. This was a rather lucrative contract, since
each aircraft used eight tachometers. Adding and changing
products as the times changed was one business practice that
worked exceptionally well.
The company continued to grow, and by 1972, R.C. Allen
was the largest aircraft instrument manufacturer for general
aviation. The company sold off the business machines
portion of the business to NCR in 1977, and the aviation
part of the business became a division of Aircraft Instrument
and Development. At this time, the company moved aircraft
instrument manufacturing to Wichita, Kansas.
In 1996, Kelly Manufacturing Co. purchased R.C. Allen
and continued to produce the R.C. Allen line of instruments.
KMC, like R.C. Allen, is family owned. Throughout the
changes in ownership, the company has continued to
produce tachometers for the B-52. According to Jim Turner,
Kelly Manufacturing's general manager, "We get a new
contract each year. We try to keep the price reasonable so it
won't go out on bid." KMC continues to produce a variety

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News July 2018