Singer Corporation

Singer Corporation
Company type	Public
Industry	Consumer sewing machines, home appliances
Predecessor	I. M. Singer & Co.
Founded	1851; 175 years ago
Founder	Isaac M. Singer, Edward C. Clark
Headquarters	Nashville, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Sewing machines, home appliances, consumer durables

Singer Corporation is a U.S.-based producer of consumer sewing machines, established in 1851 under the name I. M. Singer & Co. by businessman Isaac M. Singer and attorney Edward C. Clark. The company was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865 and later became known as the Singer Company in 1963. Its worldwide headquarters are currently located in Nashville, Tennessee. The firm's inaugural large-scale manufacturing plant for mass production was launched in 1863 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

History

Singer developed the first practical domestic sewing machine, integrating the eye-pointed needle and lock stitch mechanism, which was inspired by innovations from Elias Howe. In August 1851, Singer obtained a patent for an enhanced sewing machine design that included a circular feed wheel, thread regulation system, and gear-driven power transmission.

By acquiring essential patents, Singer had become the leading global sewing machine manufacturer by 1860. In 1885, it inaugurated a new production facility at Kilbowie, where it manufactured the cutting-edge "vibrating shuttle" sewing machine, an advancement over previous models. The company began international expansion in 1855 and earned first prize at the Paris World's Fair that same year. In 1910, Singer launched the first commercially viable electric sewing machine. The company also introduced innovative marketing approaches such as installment payment plans to accelerate growth and broaden its market presence.

Early sales figures

Year	1853	1859	1867	1871	1873	1876
Units sold	810	10,953	43,053	181,260	232,444	262,316

By 1876, Singer reported total sales reaching two million units, marking this achievement with a special display in Philadelphia.

Singer in Scotland

To satisfy demand within the UK market, Singer established a factory in Glasgow in 1867, selected for its ironworking industry, cost-effective labor force, and convenient shipping routes. By 1873, production moved to a larger facility in Bridgeton employing over 2,000 staff members; however, demand still outpaced supply.

In 1882, George Ross McKenzie, then President-elect of the company, commenced construction of an expansive factory on a 46-acre site at Kilbowie near Clydebank. This facility featured fire-resistant construction and extensive internal rail systems to streamline logistics. Covering nearly one million square feet and employing around 7,000 workers, it became Europe's most advanced sewing machine plant and the largest worldwide.

As demand increased further, the factory underwent vertical expansions and prompted the opening of Singer railway station in 1907 to facilitate worker transportation. Efficiency gains were driven by scientific management techniques but also sparked labor unrest; notably, the significant 1911 Singer Strike involved approximately 10,000 employees campaigning for women's labor rights and collective bargaining—an important early event in labor activism.

During World War I, production at the Clydebank site pivoted to munitions manufacturing under more than 5,000 government contracts. The workforce produced artillery shells and aircraft components with women comprising about 70% of employees by war’s conclusion.

From 1884 until 1943, the Kilbowie plant manufactured roughly 36 million sewing machines. In the late 1950s through early ’60s, Singer shifted much of its U.S. production to Clydebank to reduce expenses and modernized the facility with a £4 million investment focused on aluminum machine models for Western markets. Employment peaked at over 16,000 workers during the mid-1960s; however, financial difficulties eventually led to staff reductions and the factory’s closure in June 1980. The complex was demolished in 1998.

The historical significance of this factory and its contribution to labor movements are maintained as part of a nationally important archive curated by Museums Galleries Scotland.

Marketing prior to the World Wars

The Singer sewing machine stands as the earliest intricate standardized technology to be distributed on a mass scale. Following its 1851 patent, Singer entered into a patent-sharing arrangement with Elias Howe, the creator of the lockstitch machine. The company’s marketing approach focused on manufacturing sectors, gender roles, installment credit plans, and hire-purchase agreements.

Advertising campaigns highlighted the domestic roles of women, promoting values such as virtue and hard work. Although the machine simplified hand sewing, its primary users were households rather than professional artisans, who experienced wage reductions due to enhanced productivity. Singer innovated by introducing credit and rent-to-own schemes that allowed customers to lease machines with payments contributing toward ownership. Additionally, the firm expanded internationally through a network of door-to-door sales agents.

World War II

During World War II, Singer halted sewing machine production to concentrate on government contracts for armaments manufacturing. Factories in the United States produced Norden bomb sights and receivers for M1 Carbine rifles, while German facilities supplied their military forces.

In 1939, Singer formulated plans to manufacture M1911A1 pistols using standardized raw materials. An initial batch of 500 units was delivered to the U.S. government for training manufacturers new to firearms production. Although Singer did not meet the daily output targets specified in the contract, their pistols were noted for superior quality. Subsequently, the company shifted focus to producing components for navigation and targeting systems. The pistol manufacturing equipment was eventually transferred to Remington Rand and Ithaca Gun Company. Approximately 1.75 million M1911A1 pistols were produced during the conflict, rendering original Singer-made pistols rare and highly valuable; one example sold at auction for $414,000 in 2017.

In December 1940, Singer secured a contract to manufacture the M5 Antiaircraft Director, based on the UK-designed Kerrison Predictor. This system replaced the unreliable M7 Computing Sight used by U.S. Army anti-aircraft artillery and was later paired with the Bofors 40 mm gun.

Post-war period

Following World War II, Singer resumed development of sewing machines in 1946 and launched the highly successful and fully equipped 401 Slant-o-Matic model in 1957. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Singer broadened its brand visibility by sponsoring rock concerts and promoting products such as record players. A noteworthy example is their sponsorship of the celebrated "Singer Presents ... Elvis" '68 Comeback Special in 1968.

Singer’s presence in Asia

Singer began its Asian operations in Sri Lanka in 1877 as a branch of its U.S. parent company. Significant diversification commenced in 1957 when home appliances were introduced alongside sewing machines. By 1963, Singer Industries (Ceylon) PLC was established for assembly and manufacturing purposes; it became a public company in 1974 and was listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 1981. The company expanded into refrigerator manufacturing in 1988 and opened its first Mega store in 1998. In 2001, it became a pioneer among Sri Lankan consumer durable firms by launching e-commerce services.

Singer Finance was founded in 2004, accepting public deposits by 2005 and broadening its financial service offerings by 2008. The company implemented an online ERP system in 2010 and incorporated Regnis Appliances for home appliance production. Its initial public offering (IPO) in 2011 was oversubscribed more than 100 times. Subsequent developments included launching a smartphone sales division (Singer Digital Media) in 2012 and introducing environmentally friendly refrigerators through Regnis in 2013.

By 2014, Singer operated over 400 retail outlets and made history in 2015 by issuing Sri Lanka’s first VISA credit cards through a non-bank financial institution. A corporate restructuring in 2016 consolidated Regnis and Singer Industries under Singer Asia. The acquisition by Hayleys PLC in 2017 marked a strategic transformation. Key milestones included changing the financial year (2018), relocating headquarters to Colombo (2019), and relaunching digital platforms such as the Singer Care App (2020). In 2022, Singer updated its brand identity to emphasize leadership in innovation and customer engagement.

Currently, Singer dominates Sri Lanka’s consumer durables sector with more than 5.7 million customers and nearly a 30% market share, underscoring robust growth and strong market influence.

Diversification

Sales and earnings increased steadily until the 1940s; however, after World War II, the US market reached saturation, and competition intensified from European and Japanese zig-zag sewing machine manufacturers. Under the leadership of CEO Donald P. Kircher, Singer broadened its focus beyond sewing machines—which previously made up 90% of its revenue—venturing into office machinery, defense, and aerospace sectors. This shift reduced the proportion of income derived from sewing machines to 35%.

During the 1960s, Singer expanded through acquisitions such as Friden, Inc. in 1965 and General Precision Equipment Corporation (GPE) in 1968. These moves allowed entry into calculator production and sophisticated simulation technologies via subsidiaries including Librascope, Kearfott, and Link Trainer. The purchase of GPS Systems was also integrated into the Link Simulations Systems Division (LSSD), responsible for manufacturing nuclear power plant control room simulators in Maryland and flight simulators based in New York.

Friden was renamed Singer Business Machines and developed products like the Singer System 10. Nevertheless, in January 1976, Singer declared its intention to exit the data processing industry by putting this division up for sale. By March that year, TRW Inc. took over management of Singer’s System 10 and point-of-sale product lines while continuing production at Singer’s Utica facility. Simultaneously, International Computers Limited (ICL) acquired control over Singer’s international operations and product rights, later obtaining the Cogar manufacturing subsidiary.

Although Singer withdrew from direct participation, its international branches remained profitable and continued to secure contracts. ICL leveraged these assets to increase its presence in the US market while addressing customer concerns about Singer’s withdrawal.

By 1971, Singer had also entered the portable home audio and visual equipment market, sponsoring events such as A&R Studio concerts to promote this new venture.

In the 1970s, Singer built a nationwide sales network for CAT phototypesetting machines produced by Graphic Systems Inc., a Massachusetts-based firm. This segment was sold to Wang Laboratories in 1978.

Late 20th and early 21st centuries

In 1978, Singer shifted its headquarters from Rockefeller Plaza to Stamford, Connecticut, relocating approximately 430 positions. Throughout the 1980s, competition grew fiercer from Japanese and European brands including Bernina, Pfaff, and Viking. In 1986, Singer acquired Dalmo Victor from Textron for $174 million but divested it three years later to General Instrument for $175 million. That same year marked the spin-off of Singer’s sewing machine division as SSMC Ltd.

In 1987, corporate raider Paul Bilzerian gained control of Singer through a greenmail takeover strategy. To recover his investment, Bilzerian sold off multiple divisions: Kearfott Guidance & Navigation was acquired by Astronautics Corporation in 1988; the Electronic Systems Division went to Plessey Company (eventually part of BAE Systems); Link divisions were sold to CAE Inc.; and the nuclear power simulator division became S3 Technologies. The Sewing Machine Division was sold in 1989 to Semi-Tech Microelectronics based in Toronto.

Semi-Tech subsequently purchased SSMC along with rights to the Singer brand in 1989 and reinstated the name Singer for SSMC. The original company transformed into Bicoastal Corporation. Semi-Tech created Singer N.V. in the Netherlands Antilles under a Hong Kong holding entity. After filing for bankruptcy protection in 1999, Singer was purchased by Kohlberg & Company. By 1997, American consumer product operations had moved to LaVergne, Tennessee, supporting wholesale distribution channels as well.

In 2006, Kohlberg & Company acquired Husqvarna and Pfaff brands, consolidating them with Singer into what became known as the SVP Group. The principal competitors include Baby Lock, Bernina, Brother, Janome, Juki, and Aisin Seiki.

Singer’s founder Edward C. Clark played a significant role in shaping Manhattan real estate during the late nineteenth century by developing landmarks such as The Dakota apartments. In 1900, he commissioned architect Ernest Flagg to design a prominent loft building at Broadway and Prince Street. Flagg also created the iconic 47-story Singer Building (completed in 1908), which held the title of tallest building globally until it was demolished in 1968 to make way for One Liberty Plaza.

At its Clydebank factory in Scotland, Singer erected a notable clock tower standing approximately 200 feet tall with four large clock faces; this factory ceased operations in 1980. Adjacent to it is the still-functioning Singer railway station—one of only two UK stations named after a factory.

The famous Singer House located in Saint Petersburg served as the company’s Russian headquarters between 1902 and 1904. Designed by Pavel Suzor in a modern architectural style opposite Kazan Cathedral, it is recognized today as a cultural heritage landmark.

In 2017, Singer introduced the Singer Sewing Assistant App aimed at enhancing digital engagement with customers.

A fire destroyed one of Singer’s distribution offices and warehouses in Seven Hills, Sydney in 2018. Historically, from 1959 until 1967, Singer operated a dedicated manufacturing plant for sewing machines located in Penrith.

List of company presidents

Isaac M. Singer (1851–1863)
Inslee Hopper (1863–1875)
Edward C. Clark (1875–1882)
George Ross McKenzie (1882–1889)
Frederick Gilbert Bourne (1889–1905)
Sir Douglas Alexander (1905–1949)
Milton C. Lightner (1949–1958)
Donald P. Kircher (1958–1975)
Joseph Bernard Flavin (1975–1987)
Paul Bilzerian (1988–1989)
Iftikhar Ahmed (1989–1997)
Stephen H. Goodman (1998–2004)

External links

Singer history timeline – Singer Direct
Singer's wartime contributions – Singer in WWII
serial numbers and dates – Singer sewing machine
Sewing Machines, Historical Trade Literature – Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Singer Manufacturing company records – Newberry Library
Singer Company records (1851–1990) – Hagley Museum and Library
Singer Manufacturing Company Records (1860–1878) – Hagley Museum and Library