TRICO

TRICO originated in Buffalo, New York, in 1917 as the Tri-Continental Corporation, founded by John R. Oishei, Peter C. Cornell, and William P. Haines. Its first major product was Rain Rubber, an early mass-produced windshield wiper blade designed for the divided and slotted windshields common on early automobiles. The company sold the product in America, Europe, and Australia and eventually adopted the shorter TRICO name, which had initially served as its telegraph and cable designation. The company expanded beyond blade assemblies into powered wiping technology. It worked on vacuum-operated windshield wipers and became involved in a patent conflict involving William and Fred Folberth. After the Folberth vacuum-motor patents were granted, TRICO acquired the Folberth company, integrating the technology into products marketed under the Trico-Folberth name. TRICO also supplied pneumatic wiper systems for commercial trucks, military vehicles, and marine craft, where diesel-powered equipment could support air-pressure operation. TRICO established an international manufacturing footprint during the twentieth century. Trico Folberth Ltd opened a plant in Brentford, Middlesex, in 1928. The factory operated on London’s Great West Road, an industrial corridor sometimes called the Golden Mile. The site later closed in the late 1990s and UK operations moved to Pontypool in South Wales. TRICO opened an Australian manufacturing facility in 1957 and a Suzhou, China, plant in 2005. By the modern period, the company described itself as operating wiper plants on five continents and supplying both vehicle manufacturers and aftermarket distributors. Its innovation program covered nearly every stage of windshield-wiper development. Early products included the Crescent Cleaner, Visionall side-wiping systems, Sleet Wand ice-treatment products, and five-ply blades. In the 1930s, TRICO introduced washer systems marketed as “Two Little Squirts.” Later developments included Arctic winter blades, four-bar heavy-duty blades, the curved Panoramic Rainbow blade, rear-window systems, wet wiper arms, tubular blades, plastic-framed blades, and electric rear-wiper systems. The company subsequently moved toward aerodynamic and bracketless designs, including Series 2000, Global 1, Beam Blade, Exact Fit, NeoForm, Flex, Force, Ice, and Sentry products. It also developed direct-drive brushless motor technology. TRICO’s Buffalo Plant No. 1 became a historically significant industrial site and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The company moved its headquarters from Buffalo to Rochester Hills, Michigan, in 1998. The Buffalo plant closed in 2002 after a production shift to Mexico that had taken place over almost twenty years. The closure contributed to the loss of a major industrial employer in Buffalo and was later reflected in cultural commentary about deindustrialization. In 2024, the former plant building was redeveloped into apartments as part of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The Brentford factory was also the setting for a major labor dispute. In 1976, women employees struck over the company’s continuing practice of paying male workers more than female workers. The walkout lasted 21 weeks before TRICO agreed to legal equal pay. The action has been remembered through local cultural works and is regarded as an early successful equal-pay strike. In August 2020, TRICO’s corporate parent acquired Brake Parts Inc., including Raybestos, and Champion Laboratories, whose brands included Luber-finer and Champion wipers. The enlarged organization changed its name to First Brands Group. In September 2025, First Brands Group entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following substantial revenue losses. The filing described a company with billions of dollars in assets and substantially larger liabilities. Because the supplied sources do not clarify whether TRICO continued operating independently, its present status remains unknown.

1. 2025First Brands Group entered Chapter 11

   TRICO’s parent organization filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after substantial revenue losses.

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2. 2024Former Buffalo plant redeveloped

   The former Plant No. 1 building was redeveloped into apartments as part of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

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3. 2020Corporate group renamed First Brands Group

   Following acquisitions of Brake Parts Inc. and Champion Laboratories, the parent organization adopted the First Brands Group name.

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4. 2005Suzhou manufacturing established

   TRICO opened a manufacturing plant in Suzhou, China.

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5. 2002Buffalo Plant No. 1 closed

   The original Buffalo manufacturing facility closed after production had progressively shifted to Mexico.

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6. 1998Headquarters moved to Rochester Hills

   TRICO moved its head office from Buffalo to Rochester Hills, Michigan.

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7. 1996Global Technology Center established

   TRICO established an 81,000-square-foot technology center dedicated to windshield-wiper development in the Detroit area.

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8. 1976Brentford equal-pay strike concluded

   Women workers ended a 21-week strike after TRICO agreed to legal equal pay.

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9. 1957Australian manufacturing opened

   TRICO established an Australian manufacturing operation.

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10. 1936Windshield washer systems developed

    TRICO introduced windshield washer systems marketed as “Two Little Squirts.”

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11. 1928UK manufacturing established

    Trico Folberth Ltd opened a manufacturing plant in Brentford, Middlesex, on London’s Great West Road.

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12. 1923Crescent Cleaner introduced

    TRICO expanded its early windshield-cleaning product range with the Crescent Cleaner.

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13. 1917Tri-Continental Corporation founded

    John R. Oishei, Peter C. Cornell, and William P. Haines founded the company in Buffalo, New York, and introduced Rain Rubber, an early commercially available windshield-wiper blade.

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A specialist automotive visibility and wiping-systems brand combining original-equipment engineering with broad aftermarket coverage. TRICO’s historical positioning rests on early windshield-wiper innovation, global manufacturing, and products designed for ordinary, aerodynamic, winter, heavy-duty, and marine applications.

• Rain RubberWindshield wiper blade1917

  Introduced in 1917, Rain Rubber was one of the first mass-produced and commercially available windshield wiper blades. It was designed for the divided, slotted windshields used on many early automobiles and established TRICO’s identity as a specialist in vehicle-visibility equipment.

• TRICO Exact FitReplacement wiper blade1995

  Introduced in 1995, Exact Fit was designed as a pre-assembled replacement blade matched to a vehicle application. Its purpose was to simplify installation by reducing the need for consumers or technicians to adapt a universal blade to the original wiper arm.

• TRICO Beam BladeBeam wiper blade2002

  The Beam Blade concept, introduced by TRICO in 2002, used a low-profile, bracketless construction built around a metal tension strip, rubber wiping element, and connector. The design represented the industry’s movement toward more aerodynamic blades with fewer exposed mechanical components.

• TRICO NeoFormAerodynamic beam blade2007

  Introduced in 2007, NeoForm was an aerodynamic beam-blade product intended to fit a broad range of vehicles, including applications using specialty wiper arms. It combined a low-profile form with aftermarket compatibility.

• TRICO FlexUniversal beam blade2009

  TRICO Flex was introduced in 2009 as a universal beam blade using the company’s SWIFT easy-connection technology. It targeted replacement customers seeking a simplified installation process and a flexible blade design.

• TRICO ForcePremium beam blade2011

  Introduced in 2011, Force was positioned as a premium beam blade emphasizing aerodynamic performance. It extended TRICO’s move away from conventional framed blades toward designs intended to maintain contact across modern curved windshields.

• TRICO IceWinter wiper blade2012

  Introduced in 2012, TRICO Ice was designed for severe winter conditions. It followed the company’s earlier Arctic winter-blade work and addressed snow, ice, and cold-weather visibility challenges.

• TRICO SentryHybrid wiper blade2014

  Introduced in 2014, Sentry used TRICO’s hybrid dual-shield technology. The product combined characteristics of framed and beam-style blades while emphasizing protection of the wiping element and premium replacement positioning.

• 2025First Brands Group files for Chapter 11Other

  The parent group reported substantial revenue losses and entered a court-supervised restructuring process.

  What changed. First Brands Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, reporting assets between $5 billion and $10 billion and liabilities between $10 billion and $50 billion.

  Aftermath. The supplied material does not establish whether TRICO’s brand operations, ownership, or market availability changed as a result.

  Reported assets and liabilities. Assets: $5 billion-$10 billion; liabilities: $10 billion-$50 billion (September 2025 bankruptcy filing)

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• 2020Acquire Brake Parts Inc. and Champion LaboratoriesM&A

  The acquisition expanded the group beyond TRICO’s traditional wiping focus into braking, filtration, and adjacent automotive aftermarket categories.

  What changed. The parent organization acquired Brake Parts Inc. and Champion Laboratories and subsequently renamed itself First Brands Group.

  Aftermath. TRICO became part of a broader multi-brand automotive-components group.

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• 2002Close Buffalo Plant No. 1 and shift productionStrategy

  TRICO had been transferring manufacturing to Mexico over an extended period.

  What changed. The company closed its original Buffalo manufacturing facility after nearly two decades of production relocation.

  Aftermath. The closure ended TRICO’s original Buffalo manufacturing era and became associated with local industrial decline. The historic building was later redeveloped.

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• 1998Move headquarters from Buffalo to Rochester HillsStrategy

  TRICO reorganized its corporate base while its production network was becoming increasingly international.

  What changed. The company moved its head office from Buffalo, New York, to Rochester Hills, Michigan.

  Aftermath. The move preceded the closure of Buffalo Plant No. 1 in 2002 and reflected the company’s broader operational transformation.

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• 2025First Brands Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

  First Brands Group, TRICO’s parent organization, filed for Chapter 11 after substantial revenue losses. The filing reported assets of $5 billion to $10 billion and liabilities of $10 billion to $50 billion. The supplied material does not establish the precise consequences for TRICO.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2020TRICO parent acquires Brake Parts and Champion Laboratories

  The company behind TRICO acquired Brake Parts Inc., associated with Raybestos, and Champion Laboratories, associated with Luber-finer filters and Champion wipers. The corporate organization subsequently adopted the First Brands Group name.

  M&A
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• 1976Equal-pay strike at the Brentford TRICO plant

  Women workers at the Brentford, England, plant walked out over unequal pay between male and female employees. After 21 weeks, the company agreed to provide the workers with legal equal pay. The dispute became a notable episode in the history of equal-pay industrial action in the United Kingdom.

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1. Trico