TRICO
TRICO is an American automotive-components brand known for pioneering windshield wiper blades and supplying wiping systems worldwide.
Last updated October 20, 2026
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History
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.
- 2025
First Brands Group entered Chapter 11
[1]TRICO’s parent organization filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after substantial revenue losses.
- 2024
Former Buffalo plant redeveloped
[1]The former Plant No. 1 building was redeveloped into apartments as part of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
- 2020
Corporate group renamed First Brands Group
[1]Following acquisitions of Brake Parts Inc. and Champion Laboratories, the parent organization adopted the First Brands Group name.
- 2005
Suzhou manufacturing established
[1]TRICO opened a manufacturing plant in Suzhou, China.
- 2002
Buffalo Plant No. 1 closed
[1]The original Buffalo manufacturing facility closed after production had progressively shifted to Mexico.
- 1998
Headquarters moved to Rochester Hills
[1]TRICO moved its head office from Buffalo to Rochester Hills, Michigan.
- 1996
Global Technology Center established
[1]TRICO established an 81,000-square-foot technology center dedicated to windshield-wiper development in the Detroit area.
- 1976
Brentford equal-pay strike concluded
[1]Women workers ended a 21-week strike after TRICO agreed to legal equal pay.
- 1957
Australian manufacturing opened
[1]TRICO established an Australian manufacturing operation.
- 1936
Windshield washer systems developed
[1]TRICO introduced windshield washer systems marketed as “Two Little Squirts.”
Products and positioning
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.
Windshield wiper blade · 1917
Rain Rubber
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.
Replacement wiper blade · 1995
TRICO Exact Fit
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.
Beam wiper blade · 2002
TRICO Beam Blade
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.
Aerodynamic beam blade · 2007
TRICO NeoForm
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.
Universal beam blade · 2009
TRICO Flex
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.
Premium beam blade · 2011
TRICO Force
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.
Winter wiper blade · 2012
TRICO Ice
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.
Hybrid wiper blade · 2014
TRICO Sentry
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.
Brand decisions
2025
First Brands Group files for Chapter 11OtherBackground
The parent group reported substantial revenue losses and entered a court-supervised restructuring process.
Action taken
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)
2020
Acquire Brake Parts Inc. and Champion LaboratoriesM&ABackground
The acquisition expanded the group beyond TRICO’s traditional wiping focus into braking, filtration, and adjacent automotive aftermarket categories.
Action taken
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.
2002
Close Buffalo Plant No. 1 and shift productionStrategyBackground
TRICO had been transferring manufacturing to Mexico over an extended period.
Action taken
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.
1998
Move headquarters from Buffalo to Rochester HillsStrategyBackground
TRICO reorganized its corporate base while its production network was becoming increasingly international.
Action taken
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.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
TRICO brand identity refresh[2]
Reported:
Premium Guard refreshed the TRICO brand with a new identity.
Sources2 sources
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