Wednesday, August 20, 2014

We used to make things in this country. #163: The Rotor Electric Company and Torcan fans, Toronto, Ontario



If you look carefully at the badge above, you'll see the letters REC in the middle.  The Rotor Electric Company was headquartered at 123 Bentworth Avenue in Toronto and manufactured a wide variety of electric appliances for the home market:  transformers, toasters, heaters, blenders, cooking utensils, car warmers, exercisers, fans, humidifiers, hair dryers, battery chargers, cabinets for TV sets and record players.  From 1954 to 1960, it supplied a lot of equipment to Admiral for the production of TV sets.




http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=172961

The "Torcan" trademark is now owned by Matsushita Seiko Co., Ltd. of Osaka, Japan. 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would. Love to know more of rotor electric. My father was there from the start and designed most of the early stuff. It was started by Benjamin Benny

Anonymous said...

I have a stereo and separate speaker system. Serial no# 1126 and no 1262. If you can tell me ANYTHING about these pieces I would really appriciate it. Thank you

The Duke said...

I can't help you, but maybe the folks on the antique radio forum can. There'a link to their forum under the image of the phonograph above.

Anonymous said...

I am still using the Electric Refrigerator and Freezer Defroster in my 1955 refrigerator. I bought it in 1969.
Thankful.

Dave said...

(Your comment is from a few years ago) but I'd like to know more too! I'd certainly like to know ornsee what some of your father's early designs were. I might have a Torcan fan that he designed!

Anonymous said...

I have the original torcan box fan that’s green with the rocker 2 speed switch and the motor was made by McMullen electric in Toronto

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the feedback. McMullen electric, another company to research!

Ken Demerling said...

Milton Demerling was the main mechanical brain behind design and setup during bankruptcy and moving locations. My father got along with Benny and Marvin, travelled with them. Glad the manager Breeze angered my father and he joined the design team at Clairtone

Anonymous said...

I work at TorcanREC from 1972 to 1975. The factory was in Concord ON. During this time the factory just about doubled in size. The expansion was to manufacture their own electric motors.
I started running a machine that made transformers for battery chargers.
Moved to the Packaging Lead Hand.
Moved to Stockkeeper in the Electric Motor expansion.


Anonymous said...

Thank you for your comment. I like to hear the stories.