Your opinion about THE DAY INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER DIED IN MEMPHIS
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Kris Starring- 1983 was a bad year economically for Memphis. Firestone closed up shop around the same time. Uptown and Frayser both tanked around that time.
Steve Holsten- I remember seeing this on the Ch 5 news. I grew up around farming. It was sad!
Bernie Starzewski- I was farming in the 80s. I went out in 87.Anybody but me remember how Reagan destroyed the farm economy in the 80s?I remember it well.Farming has never recovered and its all big money now.
scott offerle- unions and big gov thats whatu want u got it keep going deere case and others like gm dodge will be bust the emission crap is one thing i will not have i wont buy any thing with it on it and i will not work on machines that have it its a joke
HemiHotRod- Very sad day in history. I have worked with IH equipment all my life, hard to believe a great company, that made such great equipment, could be gone, so sad.
skiatl- I remember this very well. I lived on the street next to Harvester from 1972 - 1986. The area was not the greatest then...sometimes known as the "armpit" of Memphis....but now...I can not even go into that neighborhood because of the low life that now inhabits it and has brought it even lower than it was as good blue collar community...so sad that so many communties continue to go to slums.
geodeuce- The Union killed IH in Louisville.
railbum- the UAW killed the only two plants we had here in Delaware. Now all of the unemployed are wondering what happened. YOU DID IT TO YOURSELVES! F*** UNIONS!
bduff007- Why is it always the employees fault when a company goes under. What about corporate greed and NAFTA! funny how nobody remembers all the good unions did for workers.
sidekick9409- I think so
TACTICAL DAIRYMAN- Great terra at 1:33. God save america....more history here of the destruction of america by the powers at be.
jazzsoul60- Brenda Wood has been an achor in Atlanta since 1988. She still look good for someone almost 60.
martinsuper73- @Hiei2k7 That and making a tractor called a 666, even though everyone told IH Jesus loving farmers would stop buying. But they did it anyways. Doesn't mean I don't love IH. It just means I am sad at stupid decisions wrecking a fantastic company.
Hiei2k7- @imtorched It was as much the UAW as it was Archie McCardell seeking concessions from them while IH was profitable. Don't forget the start of the "Big Power Era" when IH rolled out big 6 cylinder engines mated to what was essentially the same rear gear they'd had since before WWII.
sidekick9409- Yes, I knew some of the service reps.
38106chick- Thank you so much for putting this up. It brings back so many memories; I know a LOT of people who were affected by IH's closure.
Drew Riner- @bduff007 Amen I couldnt agree more, my Father retired from IH just bately in time to get a patial pention.
asmfmjb- My father sold IH for 40 plus years, he lived and breathed Red. When IH went down I think that it was the beginning of the end for him also!
Seattlecarnut- How long ago did this take place?
B422TMack- I Grew up 25 miles north of Memphis my family farmed (66 ,86 &88 series I.H. ) & also done Construction work 1 of local rock pits is behind Harvester & we hauled crushed limestone out this rock pit even to this day i remember as a kid passing by there Harvester was a city of it's on . Now it's basically dead w/ the exception of the container facility there & also the Memphis police impound it's ashame The closing of the harvester plant killed The Frayser comminty
imtorched- We can look towards the UAW for alot of the blame for IH's down fall!!! In the late 70's they had a strike against IH during a time when all companys were selling massive amounts of equipment, the strike wore on and IH dealers were running out of equipment to sell. When the strike was settled the early 80's hit and the farm economy went south and IH could never make up for all they had lost!
Hiei2k7- @georgeky1 Several of my relatives and neighbors in Northwestern Illinois sold their blood, sweat, and tears building not only IH/Case, but Deere and Caterpillar. Caterpillar used to have 2 Engine and Parts plants in Bettendorf and Davenport. Last one closed in 1992. CaseIH included the Axial-Flow Combine plant in East Moline, and the ever infamous HOUSE OF FARMALL in Rock Island. Both are gone, and the last standing vestage of it was finished off in 07 wrecking ball.
DrCruel- 1983 I think.
luke williams- Cool video, my dad, uncle, and grandfather worked here. I remember riding in my grandpa's scout and I still have a couple of ih toy tractors he used to give me.
Rusty Ray- Cotton Pickers and Strippers are the only thing they built in Memphis? right?
cbalducc- I think International Harvester failed because they had too many irons in the fire - building agricultural equipment and trucks at the same time. Plus, most of the ag manufacturers basically put themselves out of business by building bigger equipment for a shrinking number of farms - bigger equipment meant fewer needed and farms were getting bigger while farmers were decreasing in number. God bless.
Tigersfan829- Back when auto workers could make a great living. Those were the days
frank d- @Hiei2k7 Caterpillar had a plant in San Leandro, California. closed in 1980.
ILReaganFan- IH closed their Canton Illinois P&O Plow Works factory the same year, it was the same story here too.
62636263c- I remember when the plant in Louisville KY closed back in the 80s. My father, grandfather, and two uncles had worked there. My grandfather retired from Harvester before the plant closed down. Lots of memories of going there to pick up my dad from work.
Joe Johnson- Yea this is a good post. UAW is still killing companies to this day, GM and Ford on their deathbeds. What did IH build in Memphis, I saw a bine in one of the scenes ?
thecvxman- the answers were all in this video, first it says the guy made enough money to buy a new house, wife stopped working etc then the company went bust, ever wonder why, unions, not that clever after all eh.
montecarloss85HO- THAT SUCKS. i loved their machinery. the cub cadets and everything else they made were always considered over built.