The Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company (MS&M Co.) was founded in Minneapolis by J.L. Record and Otis Briggs on April 24, 1902, to manufacture steel components for buildings, bridges, and other steel structures.

Minneapolis Threshing Machine Co.

Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company began producing steam traction engines just west of Minneapolis, MN in 1889 and the town of Hopkins, MN was founded and grew because of MTM. In 1893, a "VICTORY" threshing machine and steam engine built by MTM won several medals at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. By 1911, MTM was building tractors under the MINNEAPOLIS name. MTM built many large tractors until the M-M merger, but these tractors were better suited for sod breaking and not row crops. After building a couple row-type tractors, MTM marketed their Minneapolis 17-30 Type A and Type B. These were cross-motor row-crop tractors and were built even after the M-M merger. In the 1920's until the M-M organization, MTM products were advertised as part of "The Great Minneapolis Line".

Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Co.

Minneapolis Steel & Machinery in the late 1800's and early 1900's was primarly a structural steel producer; producing thousands of tons a year. This company also produced the Corliss steam engine which served as a power unit for many flour mills in the Dakotas. In 1908 MSM produced a tractor under the TWIN CITY name. This was the TWIN CITY 40. By World War I, MSM was one of the larger tractor producers. This company was also a contract tractor producer, manufacturing tractors such as the BULL tractor for the Bull Tractor Co. Through the 20's MSM was producing TWIN CITY tractors and used slogans like "Team Of Steel" and "Built To Do The Work". After 1929, this line was still produced in the old MSM Lake Street Plant under the Minneapolis- Moline Twin City tractor banner.

Moline Plow Company

In 1915 Moline Plow Company purchased the UNIVERSAL TRACTOR CO. of Columbus, Ohio. The product line was moved to Moline, Illinois and a new building was built for the production of the Moline Universal Tractor. The Moline Universal Tractor was a two-wheel unit design for use with the farmers hourse-drawn implements as well as newly developed Moline tractor-drawn implements. The Universal tractor was commonly refered to as the 1st Row Crop tractor. It was equipped with electric lights and a starter, which was very advanced for it's time. After World War I, some automobile manufacturers were looking to produce tractors. Henery Ford's company began producing Fordson tractors, General Motors produced the Sampson tractor and the Moline Plow Co. was courted by manufacturer John N. Willys. Mr. Willys purchased Moline from the owners, the Stephens family, and so his automobile company began producing the Universal tractor. Mr. Willys had as his partners in the tractor trade: George N. Peek (a well known farm equipment executive) andGeneral Hugh Johnson (later a famous NRA administrator). Willys produced the Moline Universal tractor into the 1920's. In the 1920's when the tractor boom subsided, Willys withdrew from Moline and sold out to his partners. General Johnson became President and R.W. Lea became Vice President of Moline Plow Company. Both then retired and their associates took over and operated as the Moline Implement Co. which it remained until the M-M organization in 1929.

Author: "http://www.minneapolis-moline.com/history.html">Tony Turner

1963 acquisition by White

It was acquired by the White Motor Company in 1963 and the brand name was dropped in 1974. AGCO purchased White in 1991.

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