Eicor, Incorporated was established in 1941 or shortly before. During World War II Eicor manufactured small induction motors based on a design from Peerless Electric Co. Compare, for example, Photo Index entries of a Peerless Electric Co. 1.5 HP motor and an Eicor, Inc. 1.5 HP motor. There are minor cosmetic differences, both as a result of different patterns for castings and also to reduce cost and manufacturing effort where they would not hurt the motor's performance or longevity.

In 1955 Eicor was acquired by budding conglomerate F. L. Jacobs Co. of Detroit. By early 1961, Eicor was a division of Scranton Corp; later that year they were acquired by Indiana General Corp., and became an operating division of that firm. The Eicor name seems to have disappeared shortly afterward.

Eicor is listed here because they made induction motors up to at least 1½ HP in size. They also made DC motors, which seem to have become their main focus by the early 1950s. They also manufactured high-fidelity reel-to-reel tape recorders plus various specialized devices for the defence industry.

Information Sources

• We first learned of this maker from a Photo Index entry.
• The 1940 book, How to Get Into Aviation—of the Ground and in the Air, by John B. Walker, lists "EICOR INCORPORATED 515 S. Laflin St., Chicago, Ill."
• A 1944 edition of FM Radio-Electronics lists this firm, with address 1501 W. Congress, Chicago 7.
• No patents were assigned to Eicor. A 1948 edition of the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office lists the following copyright registration.

  Reg. No. 375,878, Registered Mar. 5, 1940. Eicor, Inc., Chicago. Republished by Eicor. Inc. (1941), Chicago, Ill. Electric dynamotors. electric motors, rotary electric converters, and inverters, etc.

• Various issues of Popular Mechanics and Popular Science of the late 1940s and early 1950s carried advertisements from resellers of electric motors, the ads listing Eicor generators and AC induction motors from ¼ to 1 HP.
• The 1951 edition of the Greater Chicago and Surrounding Territories Business Classified Directorylists "EICOR INCORPORATED 1501 W Congress CHesapeake 3-1234" under "Electric Motors—Mfrs & Dist".
• The 1954-06-05 edition of Billboard has the following tidbit under "Equipment News".

  Eicor, Inc., Chicago, will start delivery on its new automatic, continuous-play hi-fi tape recorder, listed at $229.92, in October.

• From 1955-07-02 Billboard.

  F. L. Jacobs Earnings Up
  DETROIT, June 25.—The F. L. Jacobs Company has revealed an upward earning trend in its current quarterly report. ...The firm also announced its expansion into the electronics field thru the purchase of Eicor, Inc., of Oglesby, Ill., manufacturers of electronics equipment...

• The 1960-06-11 edition of Billboard lists Eicor in its "directory of radio manufacturers". The company address was 1501 W. Congress St., Chicago.
• The connection to The Scranton Corporation is from a 1961 issue of American Machinist.
• The connection to Indiana General Corporation is from a 1961 issue of Electronic Design.
• A 1961 edition of Electronic Industries carried the following snippet.

  INDIANA GENERAL CORP., Valparaiso, Ind., announces the acquisition of EICOR Div., Scranton Corp. Sale price was $450,000.