Michigan Bumper Company

Gulf and Western Industries, Inc.
Company type	Public
Industry	Conglomerate (manufacturing, resource extraction, entertainment)
Predecessor	Michigan Bumper Corporation
Founded	1934
Fate	Renamed Paramount Communications in 1989; acquired by Viacom in 1994
Successor	Paramount Communications
Headquarters	Houston, United States
Area served	United States, international
Key people	Charles Bluhdorn (CEO, chairman, president), Martin S. Davis (COO)
Products	Manufacturing, resource extraction, film studio (Paramount Pictures), television production (Desilu Productions/Paramount Television), video games (Sega), book publishing (Simon & Schuster), music labels (Dot Records)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Michigan Bumper Company, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 2025

Gulf and Western Industries, Inc. (commonly presented as Gulf+Western) was a U.S.-based conglomerate initially centered on manufacturing and resource extraction sectors. From 1966 onward, the firm pursued rapid expansion into the entertainment industry, obtaining prominent holdings such as the film studio Paramount Pictures, television production company Desilu Productions, arcade and video game manufacturer Sega, book publishing house Simon & Schuster, and music labels including Dot Records. Many of these entities were unified under the Paramount brand umbrella, with Desilu evolving into Paramount Television and Dot Records becoming the foundation of Paramount Records.

During the 1980s, Gulf and Western strategically divested its non-media assets to focus primarily on publishing and entertainment. In 1989, the corporation adopted the new name Paramount Communications. Subsequently, in 1994, Viacom acquired a controlling stake in Paramount Communications, thereby incorporating Gulf and Western’s entertainment portfolio into what is currently known as the global media powerhouse Paramount Global.

Bluhdorn era

The origins of Gulf and Western date back to 1934 with the establishment of the Michigan Bumper Corporation. Following multiple renamings, Charles Bluhdorn assumed leadership in 1956 and rebranded the company as Gulf and Western Corporation in 1958 to emphasize its Houston base and automotive industry focus in the western United States. The name was updated once more in 1960 to Gulf and Western Industries.

Under Bluhdorn’s direction, the company pursued extensive diversification across sectors including agriculture, apparel, construction materials, entertainment, financial services, consumer products, natural resources, and publishing. Noteworthy acquisitions spanning from 1958 through 1982 included:

1950s

J. A. Walsh (1959)
Lester Battery & Electric Company (1959)
Unicord (1959), a producer of electric transformers and Univox amplifiers

1960s

Mal Tool and Engineering Company (1960)
Hendrie & Bolthoff Manufacturing & Supply Company (1961)
Scheufler Supply Company (1961)
Allbright's Auto Parts (1962)
General Products Corporation along with affiliated subsidiaries purchased from Marco Hecht (1962)
William & Harvey Rowland Company (1962)
Rocket Jet Engineering Corporation (1963)
Thomas S. Perry Company (1963)
Amplifier Corporation of America (1964)
Crampton Manufacturing Company and related subsidiaries (1964)
East Side Plating Company located in Windsor, Ontario (1964)
Foxcraft Products Corporation (1964)
Miller Manufacturing Company including subsidiaries such as Bonney Forge (1964)
Philmont Pressed Steel alongside Kamis Engineering subsidiary (1964)
Barr, Thomson & Company (1965)
Detroit Body Products (1965)
Lenape Hydraulic Pressing & Forging Company (1965)
Rea Auto Supply and Winkler Auto Parts (1965)
General Plastics (1966)
H. Koch & Sons; O & S Bearing & Manufacturing firms (1966)
Acquisition of Paramount Pictures signaled entry into entertainment sector (1966)
New Jersey Zinc Company including its mining operations and railway subsidiaries (1966), broadening natural resource holdings
Universal American Corporation with numerous manufacturing subsidiaries (1966)
Between 1967-68: Alloy Flange and Fittings; Collyer Insulated Wire; Hedman Mines; Mount Clemens Metal Products; North & Judd Manufacturing with subsidiaries; Scott-Mattson Farms; South Puerto Rico Sugar Company featuring substantial Caribbean sugar refining activities; Taylor Forge & Pipe Works
Associates Investment encompassing insurance companies and First Bank & Trust of South Bend (1968)
Brown Company specializing in paper products along with subsidiaries (1968)
Chicago Thoroughbred Enterprises acquisition expanded recreational business interests (1968)
Consolidated Cigar Corporation operating manufacturing in the Dominican Republic; E. W. Bliss Company with engineering subsidiaries; Gardner Clark Spring Company; General Steel Products; Marion Plant Life Fertilizer Company; North Brevard Cable Television Company; Orange CATV; Providence Washington Insurance Company with multiple insurance affiliates; WCM Machine Works—all acquired during 1968
The purchase of Sega marked a significant move into electronic entertainment markets (1969)

Bluhdorn’s assertive acquisition approach greatly expanded Gulf and Western's operational scope, enhancing its presence across diverse industries and establishing a multifaceted corporate framework that fueled ongoing growth and strong financial results.

1970s

Eagle A (1970)
Auto Body Parts Corporation (1971)
Camino Tours (1971)
Bayamon Body Parts (1971)
Guayama Body Parts (1971)
Newport Supply Company (1971, 1972)
Piezas Europeas (1971)
Aye & Stearns (1972)
Budget Finance Plan (1972)
Fabrica Accumulatori Uranio (1972)
Fun In The Sun Tours (1972)
Hawaiian Polynesia Tours (1972)
John M. Henderson & Company (1972)
Shattuck Denn Mining Corporation, including subsidiaries Fireproof Products Company and Richmond Screw Anchor Company (1972)
Symons Corporation (1972)
Plavica (1973)
Preferred General Agency of Alaska (1973)
Sterling Pulp & Paper Company (1973)
Behm and Fab-co Metals, acquired from Pott Industries (1974)
Elco Corporation (1974)
Hawtin & Partners (1974)
Société de Construction Mécanique de Bourgogne, purchased from Dujardin Montbard Somenor (1974)
Kayser-Roth Corporation (1975), which owned Miss Universe Inc. and Hammacher Schlemmer
Simon & Schuster, including Pocket Books, Monarch Press, and Washington Square Press divisions (1975)
Her Majesty Industries, a manufacturer specializing in children's apparel (1976)
Peavey Paper Mills (1976)
Solar Fuel Company (1976)
Madison Square Garden and its subsidiaries such as New York Rangers, New York Knicks, Holiday on Ice; plus O'Hare Hilton Hotel, Arlington Park, Roosevelt Raceway, Washington Park horse tracks, along with real estate holdings in Manhattan, Long Island, and Chicago (1977)
Société des Blancs de Zinc de la Méditerranée (1977)
Gremlin Industries, later known as Sega Electronics, Inc. (1978)
Compañía Insular Tabacalera and Canaries Cigar and Tobacco companies (1979)
Esco Trading (1979)
Simmons Company (1979)
Wallace Metal Products (1979)

1980s

National Casket Company, acquired from Walco National Corporation in 1980
Thomas Ryder & Son, a machine tool producer located in Bolton, England, purchased from Whitecroft in 1981

Minority stakes

Gulf and Western held partial ownership interests in various firms including Camino Gold Mines, Cementos Nacionales, Fertilizantes Santo Domingo, Flying Diamond Oil Corporation, Jonathan Logan, J.P. Stevens & Company, Mohasco Corporation, Alberto-Culver, Amfac, B.F. Goodrich, Brunswick Corporation, Bulova, Cluett Peabody & Company, Cummins, General Tire, Libbey-Owens-Ford, Munsingwear, and Uniroyal.

Other activities

Following the 1966 acquisition of Paramount for $125 million, Gulf and Western leveraged Paramount's valuable film catalog and real estate assets to increase revenues to $450 million, elevating the corporation into the ranks of the top 110 U.S. manufacturers. Under CEO Charles Bluhdorn’s leadership—who appointed himself as Paramount’s CEO, chairman, and president—the company diversified significantly into entertainment. Key management included Martin S. Davis serving as chief operating officer.

Paramount’s portfolio comprised International Telemeter Corporation, the Canadian theater chain Famous Players, Dot Records, Famous Music publishing, and briefly the animation division Famous Studios. The 1968 acquisition of Stax Records broadened its music holdings; these recording operations were eventually consolidated under Famous Music.

In 1967 Gulf and Western acquired Desilu Productions’ library—featuring titles like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible—and rebranded it as Paramount Television. Culver Studios was excluded from this purchase due to antitrust considerations. Additionally, the company leased and subsequently sold a fertilizer plant owned by New Jersey Zinc in Illinois.

By 1969 Gulf and Western expanded into Indonesian oil exploration through an agreement with state-owned Pertamina and established an industrial free trade zone in La Romana via its subsidiary Operadora Zona Franca de La Romana.

During the early 1970s Gulf and Western collaborated with MCA's Universal to create Cinema International Corporation for distributing films globally; United Artists later joined this venture to form United International Pictures.

Between 1970 and 1972 the company divested several non-core assets including selling Norma-Hoffman to German firm FAG, returning Stax Records to its original owners, and offloading various manufacturing businesses. Paramount Records was launched as the primary label for popular music and soundtracks.

Supporting independent music labels through Famous Music, Gulf and Western acquired Blue Thumb Records in 1972 before divesting its entire record division to ABC Records in 1974. That same year it sold Flinchbaugh Products and took Sega Enterprises public via its Polly Bergen Company subsidiary; David Rosen assumed the role of Sega CEO.

In 1975 Gulf and Western formed Jersey Miniere Zinc Company with Belgium’s Union Minière holding a 60% interest and acquired a 50% share in Kingdom of Oz arcade operations through Sega.

A lawsuit filed in 1976 contested contractual issues with Cinema Dominica during production of Sorcerer. In 1977 after acquiring Muntz Manufacturing, Sega introduced the widescreen Sega-Vision television but ceased production shortly thereafter. Thai Zinc Ltd., a subsidiary of New Jersey Zinc, secured a $90 million contract for zinc mining and refining operations in Thailand.

Barry Diller proposed launching a fourth television network under Paramount; however CEO Bluhdorn rejected this plan over revenue concerns. Subsequently Paramount sold the Hughes Television Network in 1979. Diller later joined 20th Century Fox amid News Corporation’s establishment of the Fox Broadcasting Company.

Early 1980s

On June 5, 1980, Gulf and Western unveiled an electric vehicle powered by a zinc chloride battery, which was claimed to provide several hours of operation and reach speeds up to . Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Energy, a $15 million investor in the project, found that the battery's output was 65% lower than anticipated and required a unique recharging process. During the same year, Gulf and Western sold Hammacher Schlemmer to J. Roderick MacArthur’s Bradford Exchange and divested its 80% ownership in Brown Company to James River Corporation in exchange for cash and stock, as Bluhdorn expected superior returns from James River shares.

In 1981, a group of former executives from Gulf and Western Natural Resources orchestrated a buyout of New Jersey Zinc, creating Horsehead Industries as a new subsidiary. That year also saw Gulf and Western announce the shutdown of its unprofitable Schrafft Candy division, which was subsequently sold to American Safety Razor Company.

By 1982, Don Gaston, then executive vice president, established Richfield Holdings Ltd. and purchased Providence Capitol International Insurance Ltd. along with Famous Players Realty Ltd. from Gulf and Western for $350 million before stepping down. Additionally, Gulf and Western sold Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company to Lone Star Industries and Pennsylvania Malleable Iron to Champ Corporation.

After Bluhdorn passed away in 1983 due to a heart attack during a flight, the board appointed Martin S. Davis—then senior vice president with a background at Paramount Pictures—as CEO, bypassing the sitting president Jim Judelson.

In 1984, Gulf and Western broadened its media holdings by acquiring Esquire Inc., which included Globe Book Company, Allyn & Bacon, Modern Curriculum Press, Centron Corporation, Coronet Films, Perspective Films, MTI Teleprograms, and Prentice Hall. That same year, its subsidiary Kayser-Roth purchased Calvin Klein’s women’s underwear division along with the rights to use the designer's name for that segment.

Martin S. Davis restructuring

Under the leadership of Martin S. Davis, Gulf and Western refocused its operations on entertainment by shedding non-core publishing and industrial assets to streamline its business model and enhance investor appeal. Despite Paramount’s robust performance, the conglomerate faced challenges with market perception, prompting widespread divestitures.

In 1983, Gulf and Western sold Consolidated Cigar to a management group led by president Alexander N. Brainard. That year also involved the sale of building products units—including Livingston-Graham and Symons Corporation—to Merrill L. Nash; E. W. Bliss was transferred to private investors; meanwhile, U.S.-based Sega assets (manufacturing operations, technology licenses, and arcade distribution rights) were sold to Bally Manufacturing. The Japanese segment of Sega was acquired in 1984 by investors led by David Rosen and Hayao Nakayama. Gulf and Western merged the former U.S. Sega companies into Simon & Schuster and integrated Sega Europe Limited into Paramount Pictures—now components of CBS Media Ventures and Viacom International respectively. Notably, decades later Paramount collaborated with Sega on the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise.

In 1984, Taylor Forge operations were divested: New Jersey plants became Taylor Forge Stainless; Kansas facilities transformed into Taylor Forge Engineered Systems. Bonney Forge was sold to its president John Leone; Super Tool and Morse Cutting Tools went to industrialist Jim Lambert; holdings in Florida and the Dominican Republic were sold to an investment consortium including Carlos Morales Troncoso and the Fanjul brothers.

The 1985 sale of Gulf and Western Consumer and Industrial Products Group—which included A.P.S. auto parts, Kayser-Roth apparel, and Simmons bedding—to Wickes Companies further narrowed the conglomerate's focus. That year also witnessed the divestiture of Columbus Circle Investors (pension asset manager) to Thomson McKinnon alongside the acquisition of Ginn & Company from Xerox.

By 1986, Gulf and Western sharpened its entertainment emphasis through acquiring Mann Theatres (which later partnered with Warner Communications). Simon & Schuster expanded via purchases of Silver Burdett, General Learning Corporation, Gousha mapmaker (1987), Charles E. Simon, and Quercus (1988). Reflecting this strategic concentration, the company rebranded as Paramount Communications in 1989 while selling Associates First Capital Corporation to Ford Motor Company.

This phase under Davis demonstrated deliberate strategic direction focused on amplifying market presence by concentrating on core entertainment and publishing businesses.

Headquarters

Prior to 1970, the company's main offices were situated on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.

The 15 Columbus Circle building in Manhattan, originally known as the Gulf and Western Building, was completed in 1970 for Gulf and Western by architect Thomas Stanley. Positioned between Broadway and Central Park West, this 583-foot skyscraper provided expansive views to the north and across its vicinity.

Within the building was a dining establishment called The Top of the Park, overseen by acclaimed restaurateur Stuart Levin, recognized for his work with venues such as the Four Seasons and Le Pavillon. Despite Levin’s prominence and the presence of his distinctive sculpture Universal Woman by artist Jim Gary, the restaurant did not achieve commercial success.

A cinema named Paramount occupied the basement level, reflecting Gulf and Western’s ownership of Paramount Pictures; however, it ceased operations following the property's sale.

The 45-story office tower experienced structural challenges, including prolonged scaffolding around its base and noticeable swaying during windy conditions that caused discomfort to occupants.

In 1997, a major renovation led by architects Costas Kondylis and Philip Johnson converted the structure into the Trump International Hotel and Tower (One Central Park West). This redevelopment extended the tower to 52 floors by lowering ceiling heights for residential purposes, while updating the exterior with dark glass panels and polished steel framing to suit its new mixed-use function.

References