Escalade history

In 1926, Cadillac branched out and offered customers more than 500 color combinations to choose from.

The company’s involvement in sporting goods spans nearly 100 years since its founding in 1927 as Indian Archery and Toy Company.

The stock market crash of 1929 signalled the beginning of a decade-long economic depression that stunted Indian Archery and Toy's growth.

In the middle of the 1930's a midst The Great Depression, while most companies and families were struggling Cadillac created the first V-type 16-cylinder engine for use in a passenger car.

Larger offices were occupied by 1937, when fiberglass bows were introduced and the company began manufacturing its own targets, as the Evansville enterprise regained some of the luster lost during the Great Depression.

Cadillac went quiet in the 1941's when they suspended automobile production to help produce planes for the war.

Small but meaningful innovations filled the 1960's for Cadillac.

The decade began with a name change, effected in 1961 when Indian Archery and Toy Corp. shortened its name to Indian Archery Corp., one year before the company's 35th year of business.

Orr, who would later be elected governor of Indiana, Griffin, and two other partners, Jim McNeely and Joseph Derr, acquired Indian Archery in the fall of 1962 and immediately began experimenting with new products that would extend the company's presence into new markets.

Then, in 1964, Cadillac brought to market automatically controlled headlamps and redefines luxury with Comfort Control, the industry's first thermostatically controlled heating, venting, and air-conditioning system.

Their early efforts--manufacturing skateboards and plastic skis--failed, as did their venture into the production of hand-pulled golf carts, entered into by the 1966 acquisition of Chicago-based Kunkel Industries, a golf-cart manufacturer.

Toward this end, Indian Industries entered a joint venture project called Cal-Dana to manufacture table-tennis tables in California and Indiana, which was merged into the company in 1970, and acquired the trademark "Ping Pong" from Parker Bros.

The flurry of corporate transactions that engendered Escalade began in 1972 when Williams, the footwear manufacturer based in Ohio, merged with Illinois-based Martin-Yale Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of office and graphic arts products, and crafts and toys.

1973 - Acquisition of Harvard Table Tennis, Inc., a Massachusetts manufacturer of table tennis accessories.

1976 - Williams Manufacturing footwear operations discontinued.

A new product line was added to Escalade's business in 1977 when the company began manufacturing pool tables.

Closing out the decade, Cadillac brought to market the 1978 Seville which used onboard microprocessors in its digital display.

1979 - Martin Yale leisure time product line sold to an unaffiliated party.

In 1980, Escalade acquired the Crown Recreation (West) division of Ideal Toy Company, which manufactured table-tennis tables and pool tables in Compton, California.

As the Harvard Sports subsidiary was being reorganized, Escalade added another product line to its business when it began manufacturing basketball backboards, goals, and poles in 1982.

From 1985 forward, Escalade used the Spalding name on its line of basketball backboards, goals, and poles, indoor darts, table tennis sets, and pool accessories.

Next on the acquisitive front, the company strengthened the graphic arts business of Martin-Yale by acquiring the graphic arts assets belonging to Geiss America, Inc. in 1986.

Following this acquisition, Escalade purchased the business machine division of Swingline, Inc. in 1988, thereby bolstering the revenue-generating capability of Martin-Yale.

In 1989, Escalade entered the home fitness market through the acquisition of Marcy Fitness Products, Inc., a California manufacturer of home fitness and exercise equipment.

In 1990, a new manufacturing and office facility was built in Wabash, Indiana, one year after production had begun in Tijuana, Mexico.

In 1992, as part of the effort to expand business abroad, the company established Escalade International Limited, which comprised a sales office and warehouse in Swansea, Wales.

1994 - Acquired certain assets of Data-Link Corporation which manufactured products to apply postage and other stamps.

1997 - Acquisition of Master Products Manufacturing Company, Inc., a manufacturer of paper punches and catalog rack systems.

Despite more than 800,000 Escalades sold in the United States since 1998, you likely haven't given much thought to the first few generations.

The Cadillac Escalade was first introduced back in 1999.

2000 - Acquired table tennis assets of Lifetime Products, Inc.

2001 - Acquired substantially all the assets of United States Weights, Inc., the only United States manufacturer of filled vinyl weights and sets.

2002 - Acquired the Step product line from Bollinger Industries.

2003 - Acquired substantially all the assets of North American Archery Group.

2004 - Acquired 50% of the stock shares of Action Group, a dealer of office supplies in South Africa.

2005 - Acquired substantially all the assets of ChildLife, Inc., a manufacturer of premium residential play systems.

2006 - Acquired substantially all the assets of Family Industries, Inc., which manufactured and sold premium quality residential playground systems under the WoodPlay brand.

2007 - Acquired substantially all the assets of Trophy Ridge, LLC, which manufactured and sold premium archery accessories under the Trophy Ridge brand name.

In 2008, the Escalade received Express-Up for the front power windows, a restyled key fob for keyless entry system, and seating for eight people.

For 2010, Active Fuel Management was incorporated for better gas mileage, and a USB port was added to the console.

2012 - Acquired the bowfishing assets of Cajun Archery . Under the terms of this agreement Bear Archery acquired the popular line of bow fishing equipment as well as the Cajun brand.

2013 - Purchased the North American intellectual property rights for Rigid Air Technology from BDZ Holdings Limited for use on the iGoal, a complete line of air-pressurized transportable soccer goals.

2014 - Acquired substantially all the assets of Cue & Case Sales, Inc., a leading marketer and supplier of billiard accessories with the Lucasi, Players, Rage, and PureX brands.

2015 - Acquired all the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Goalsetter Systems, Inc. a premium brand of in-ground basketball goals for residential, institutional and commercial use.

2016 - Acquired substantially all the assets of Triumph Sports USA, an innovation leader in the indoor and outdoor games categories.

2017 - Acquired substantially all the assets of Jim Fletcher Archery, innovator in archery releases and TruPeep peep sights.

For 2018, the entire console was redesigned along with the cupholders and driver’s seat memory system.

Minor changes were made to the 2019 version, including a logo light on the hands-free liftgate, and a Sport package was added to several trim levels.

Top Features of the 2020 Cadillac Escalade