Telephonics history

Image courtesy of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), H.W. Waldorf Et al. “Engraving or reproducing machine,” US patent, May 2, 1939.

In 1944, he was one of the engineers who developed the EDVAC, the first digital computer designed for civilian use coming out of World War II, and in subsequent years he continued this legacy, promoting the use of digital technology in the company’s products.

In 1959, Long Island businessman Helmuth W. Waldorf – a tool and die maker’s apprentice who had immigrated to the United States from Westphalia, Germany, to study at Columbia University – formed a small defense electronics company named Instrument Systems Corporation (ISC).

In 1961, Griffon Corporation acquires Telephonics.

Garrett’s strategy accelerated the growth of Instrument Systems at an astonishing rate, transforming it from a small Long Island electronics company in 1963 to a nationally recognized industrial conglomerate in only seven years.

Sales and profits picked up after Edward J. Garrett became chairman and president in 1964, and two younger brothers took high executive posts.

Edward Garrett passes away and is succeeded by son-in-law Harvey Blau as Chairman of the Board and CEO. Blau joined ISC as director and secretary in 1966.

Garrett and his leadership team bought 20 companies in 1968 alone.

Instrument Systems Corporation, Annual Report, 1969.

A heavy user of integrated circuits, Instrument Systems created a semiconductor division in 1970 and announced plans to build its own microelectronics manufacturing plant in Huntington.

The company's Phonplex Corp. subsidiary was seeking customers for a proposed computer with voice-response capability. 'All it takes is a computer, a push button telephone and a solid-state memory bank of `phonemes,' Edward Garrett told Gene Smith of the New York Times in 1971.

Shedding Unprofitable Divisions: 1974-83

1976: The company sells its plastics and packaging divisions.

In 1977, to satisfy our own internal design requirement for more advanced, complex and increasingly sophisticated custom integrated circuits, Telephonics established its Telephonics Large Scale Integration (TLSI) subsidiary.

Edward Garrett suddenly fired his brothers in December 1978 and 33 other executives the following month.

Instrument Systems, which moved its headquarters from Huntington to nearby Jericho in fiscal 1980, fell victim to the severe recession of 1980-82, losing $41.3 million during this period.

Leading the way was Telephonics, which in 1981 received a five-year order worth about $100 million to supply the central integrated test system for Rockwell International Corp.'s B-1B bomber.

1983: Nine unprofitable divisions have been sold in three years.

In 1984, ISC acquired troubled clothing manufacturer Oneita Knitting Mills.

A shrewd acquisition was the 1986 purchase of Cincinnati-based Clopay Corp. in 1986 for about $40 million, including expenses.

In 1988, Telephonics acquired the Command Systems Division (CSD) of Eaton/AIL. With its distinguished history dating to the earliest days of radar, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) technology, CSD brought expanded capabilities to Telephonics.

Growing in sales each year and solidly profitable, the company was now worth about $9 a share, compared to only $1 a share in 1989.

Clopay's operations accounted for 70 percent of the parent company's $50.1 million in operating income in fiscal 1991.

By 1992 Clopay was the nation's leading manufacturer and retail supplier of residential garage doors, and also the leading supplier of plastic liners for diapers, surgical gowns, and drapes, and films and laminates for disposable surgical instruments.

He is succeeded as CEO by his son-in-law Ronald Kramer, a former investment banker and executive at Wynn Resorts, who has served on Griffon’s board of directors since 1993.

In 1996 Clopay formed Finotech, a joint venture with German-based Corovin GmbH, to manufacture specialty plastic film and laminate products in Europe.

Also in 1997, Telephonics won a $26 million contract to supply wireless communications equipment for 1,080 New York City subway cars.

Clopay also acquired Bohme Verpackungsfolien GmbH & Co., a German manufacturer of plastic packaging and specialty films, in 1998.

1999: Making garage doors is Griffon's chief source of revenue.

In 2000, Telephonics acquired the RDR line of weather radar products from Honeywell, Inc.

In 2004, Telephonics acquired Saab AB’s Short Range Radio product line, naming the versatile wireless communications system TruLink® and expanding its capabilities to include encrypted and submersible options.

Blau and the Griffon board turned to Griffon Vice Chairman Ronald J. Kramer to succeed Blau as CEO, effective April 1, 2008.

Griffon acquires Ames True Temper, the leading United States, Canadian and Australian provider of non-powered landscaping products, for $542 million in 2010.

Incorporated in April 2013, Mahindra Telephonics Integrated Systems (Mahindra Telephonics) is a joint venture between Mahindra Defense Systems Limited and Telephonics Corporation.

An important milestone for Mahindra Telephonics was the opening of the first private joint aerospace and electronics manufacturing facility in Prithla, India, which took place in February 2014.

In November 2017, Griffon announced the sale of Clopay Plastics.

Upon Blau’s passing in January 2018, Kramer was named Chairman of the Board.

On August 6th, 2019 Telephonics announces its expansion in Elizabeth City, NC with a ribbon cutting ceremony at our new manufacturing facility.