An American Family Business

From WWII to Building Custom-Engineered Wiring Systems, the Morris family values serve them well.

The following is an interview with Thomas M. Morris, Sr. who founded T.M. Morris Mfg. in 1965. T.M. Morris designs and manufactures custom wiring systems for leading U.S. automakers, appliance manufacturers and electronics firms. The company is based in Logansport, Indiana, with facilities in Fulton and BremenMarshall Counties in Indiana. It has over 500 full-time employees. WHN spoke with him in his office in Indiana. Though retired, he still plays an active part in the company's activities.

Thomas Morris, Sr., founder of T.M. Morris Manufacturing, was a tank company commander in WWII, serving in the European theatre from 1943 – 1946. He was wounded two times. The last time, he suffered several broken ribs and the doctors put a cast on the upper part of his body. But he refused to stay to recuperate and quickly returned to continue fighting with his fellow officers during the last few weeks of the war, cast and all. Finding that his cast made it difficult to get in and out of the tank opening, he used a pair of tin sheers to remove the cast and broke it off.  His company proceeded to capture General Yodel, who was the Supreme Commander of the German Forces. The war was over three days later. They also liberated Mousseberg, where 250,000 Allied POWs were held. But the worst thing he saw was when they marched into the concentration camp at Dachau and found vicious guard dogs preventing the emaciated prisoners from leaving the compound. Mr. Morris helped to shoot to subdue the dogs to free the prisoners. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1944, Captain in 1945, and Major in the reserve in 1948. Of the seven officers under his command only two returned. Upon his release from active duty he continued in the Army Reserves until 1960, when he retired with the rank of Major.

"My war experiences gave me the will to go ahead and do things I wouldn't otherwise have been able to do." Mr. Morris commented. "That's the way it was during combat. We saw what needed to be done, and we just did it, never mind if it was difficult. There were seven on my command unit. Two came back. It has been these principles that have brought me to where I am today."

Thomas Morris, Sr., T.M. Morris Manufacturing.

He worked for Logansport Essex Wire for 28 years, before and after the war, serving as a cost accountant and estimator, working his way up to plant superintendent, and finally as the plant manager. He was then offered the opportunity to be the Plant Manager for Essex Wire in Zainesville, Ohio. A position he held for three years. Then During the next year he supervised the construction tooling and the start-up of Automotive Controls Corp. in Independence, Kansas.

"This experience prompted me to fulfill my lifelong desire to work for myself," Mr. Morris stated. He returned to Logansport and started the T.M. Morris Mfg. Co. in a two-car garage on July 1, 1965, with Echlin Automotive Controls Corp. as its first customer. He hit the ground running, lining up customers and solving problems for them.

Originally, the company made just one component – wire wound resistors. "Many people needed resistors in those days, so the business just grew like Topsy in leaps and bounds," marveled Mr. Morris. "Delco Remy couldn't get any resistors, so we got our foot in the door of the automotive business by supplying the resistors to an OEM voltage regulator company when others couldn't."

 " The next opportunity that came about was when the next door neighbor approached us for help.  They needed wiring for the Ford Horn Switch.  This led to the first high volume wire harness contract." 

 "We expanded our facilities in 1971 and started the wire business. We made the harness for the seat belt interlock switch wiring that connects to the seat belt alarm. car ignition. We took the order, and a week later we were in production. We placed our first wire order for several million feet and placed our order for the heavy equipment. Both arrived within a week.  The wire was purple, which wouldn't do, so I had it dyed black. Those were exciting days, I'll tell you."

The T.M. Morris Mfg. Co. Inc. now occupies over 125,000 square
feet of manufacturing space.

This also led to the need to change locations.  In 1969 they moved into what presently houses their tool and die facility. By fall of 1971 it became necessary to make an addition to that structure.

From seatbelt interlock wiring they expanded into wire harnesses for other industries and police-car radio ground straps. By 1972 they were building ground straps for all of the automotive industry car makers. Some cars had as many as eleven ground straps.

"We picked up customers that our competitors couldn't get because we had such an early relationship with the automotive industry," Mr. Morris explained.

TM Morris Mfg. continued their willingness to solve problems as they arose. "One of the 'Big Three' auto makers—Chrysler went to an electronic ignition and encountered problems with excess noise in the radios—we were there to help solve the problem.  Now they are one of our top ten customers. As a matter of fact, we are still doing business with those very companies that were our original customers. " 

 Passing the Baton

In 1992, after celebrating his 75th birthday, Mr. Morris, Sr. decided it was time to slow down and enjoy life. Luckily, he had a trusted vice president to whom he could hand the baton — his son Thomas M. Morris, Jr. 

Tom graduated from Indiana University in 1967 with a degree in business management. He received his commission in the U.S. Air Force and served in various capacities in the Air Defense System; his last position was that of Operations Officer of a radar station in Alaska.

In 1971, he returned to Logansport to work in the family business, active in all areas. He has also chosen to make community service a very important part of his life. He is has been very visible in the community, also, and was the privilege of being appointed as the delegate from Indiana's Fifth District to the White House Conference on Small Business.

"My son is one important reason why this company is successful," declared Mr. Morris. "He has been able to do things I can't do. He interacts with customers and relates to the new breed of business people. Nowadays, it is much more difficult to do business, with all the OSHA rules and government regulations. Price has become such an issue—it seems like everyone is always beating you down on price. My son is good at managing all that."

 Tom, Jr. played an instrumental role in the early 1980's by implementing the concept of SPC. The philosophy that all operators are responsible for compiling their data and implementing any corrective action that is needed.  He introduced the concepts of single flow production, cellular manufacturing and focused factories, EDI/JIT/KANBAN Systems and lean manufacturing. He has been vital in implementing computer integration throughout the organization as well as investment in state-of–the-art wire technologies.

"When Tom, Jr. came on board, we had just begun the first expansion.  Between 1972 and 1988 we purchased three buildings that were all next door and acquired facilities in Fulton, Indiana. 

On July 1, 1965 Mr. T.M. Morris S. started the T.M. Morris Mfg. Co.
in a two-car garage.  In 1988 the company broke ground for a 75,000
square foot facility that now houses their Corporate Headquarters.

"In 1988 we broke ground for a 75,000 square foot facility, that now houses the Corporate Headquarters.  In 1996 we purchased a wire harness company in Bremen, Indiana and added one more building.

"He has had a large role in the growth of this company that now occupies over 125,000 square feet of manufacturing space." 

The company was honored by Chrysler Corporation, who awarded the T.M. Morris Mfg. Co. Inc. 'Pentastar' for superior performance as a supplier for the 1991 model year, and then again in 1996. 

In 1998 TM Morris Mfg. Co., Inc. achieved ISO 9002 and QS 9000 certification, through Underwriters Laboratory. One of the company's goals in the late 90s was achieving those certifications, thereby expanding their ability to compete in global markets and helping them to remain as one of the largest, privately held, manufacturing corporations in the United States.

"We try to be integrated to reach whatever place the requirement need us to be," explained Mr. Morris. And that philosophy has certainly led to remarkable growth and success for the family and the company.

"It has been a thrilling experience watching the business grow. I have a lot of friends in the business and that has made it all worthwhile. It is very satisfying," Mr. Morris concluded.

 The company is vertically integrated and does its own stamping and extrudes its own wire. Their philosophy is to see a requirement and then come up with the best possible solution. "Like for wire braiding—we have a special braid we developed to solve a problem. That's what we do best, we see a requirement and come up with the answer," concludes Mr. Morris.

For information on the T.M. Morris Mfg. Co., Inc. contact T.M. Morris Mfg. Co., Inc. P.O. Box 658, Logansport, IN 46947. Phone (219) 722-4040 or Fax (219) 722-5723. Visit internet: www.tmmorrismfg.com