White Consolidated Industries
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1858 in Templeton, Massachusetts, United States |
| Founder | Thomas H. White |
| Headquarters | , Ohio, United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Sewing machines |
| Parent | Electrolux |
The White Sewing Machine Company was established in 1858 by Thomas H. White in Templeton, Massachusetts, relocating its headquarters to Cleveland, Ohio in 1866.
History
Initially operating under the name White Manufacturing Company, it officially became the White Sewing Machine Company upon incorporation in 1876. The firm garnered multiple accolades at global exhibitions, including honors at the 1889 Exposition Universelle held in Paris. During the 1920s, White began manufacturing sewing machines for Sears Roebuck and Co, and by the 1930s, all Sears-branded sewing machines were essentially Whites rebranded under labels such as Kenmore and Franklin. Notably, a White Rotary Electric Series 77 model was chosen for preservation within the Crypt of Civilization.
White Motor Company
In 1900, Rollin H. White, son of Thomas White, engineered a steam engine and initiated automobile production within a segment of his father’s factory. This automotive division was spun off as the separate entity known as the White Motor Company in 1906. By 1923, the White Sewing Machine Company had divested all non-sewing related businesses to focus solely on sewing machines and their components.
Later history
By the early 1950s, increased competition from lower-priced imported sewing machines and the termination of a critical Sears contract—which accounted for approximately 40% of sales—led to financial difficulties for White. In 1955, Edward Reddig assumed the presidency and orchestrated a strategic pivot toward international manufacturing to reduce domestic production costs while expanding into appliances, tools, and machinery sectors. The company acquired several appliance brands including Kelvinator (from American Motors), Gibson, Philco (from Ford Motor Company/GTE), and Franklin (from Studebaker-Worthington). Reflecting this broadened business scope, it was renamed White Consolidated Industries (WCI) in 1964. WCI further enlarged its appliance holdings by purchasing Westinghouse’s major appliance division in 1975—leading to the creation of the White-Westinghouse brand—and acquiring the Frigidaire line from General Motors in 1979.
In 1986, WCI was acquired by Electrolux. Then in 2006, Electrolux separated several product lines under the Husqvarna brand umbrella, consolidating White’s sewing machine offerings into the more budget-friendly Husqvarna Viking brand. The White-Westinghouse name remained under Electrolux ownership but no longer included sewing machines.
Since the Husqvarna spinoff in 2006, no new sewing machine models have been released under the White brand. Currently, the Singer, Husqvarna Viking, and Pfaff brands are owned by SVP Worldwide, which provides user manuals for all these brands—including White—through the Singer website.
Noteworthy Sewing Machine Models
- White Sewing Machine (commonly referred to as the White Vibrating Shuttle or White VS)
- White Family Rotary (subsequently known as the White Rotary)