History Corner - Omaha Works
In 1956, with the demand for telephone service exploding across the country, Western Electric announced its plans to construct a new major manufacturing facility in the Omaha, Nebraska area. Ground breaking for the new facility took place on June 28, 1956, and four months later, construction began. When the work was completed on November 15, 1958, the structure included 12.8 tons of structural steel, 2.8 million bricks, 43,000 concrete blocks, 1.5 million feet of electrical conductors and 20,000 electrical light fixtures. The Works would grow to become the largest building in Nebraska.
Arthur Goetze was President of Western Electric at the time of construction and Paul Gorman, a future president of the company, was then Vice President of Manufacturing. The first plant manager was H. P. Heath. Many of the early supervisory employees were transfers from the Hawthorne Works. The in-house employee newsletter, The Westerner, was first published in September of 1957 and over the years recorded the many achievements and activities of Omaha Works employees.
The Omaha plant would be designed to produce cable and associated apparatus, but also crossbar and PBX equipment. By the late 1960’s the Omaha Works location was the number one producer of crossbar equipment in the country. In later years, crossbar and PBX manufacture would be phased out, and the Works would focus on its cable and apparatus lines.
The Omaha Works produced aerial, buried, underground and inside cable. Exchange cable produced at Omaha was PIC (polyethylene-insulated cable). Vinyl cable was also manufactured. Among the associated cable apparatus manufactured at Omaha were: cable stubs, cable terminals, connectors, central office connectors, cabinets of various types, connecting blocks, protectors, and various tools required for the installation of telephone cable and wire. At its peak operation in the early 1970’s, the Omaha Works would provide employment for 7,700 workers. The Omaha Works was a major supplier of cable and apparatus for the Bell System..
With divestiture in 1984, the Omaha Works would become a part of the newly formed AT&T Technologies and continue as a major source of cable apparatus. In 1996, AT& T would split off its products and systems businesses to form Lucent Technologies, and the Omaha Works would become a Lucent facility. Then in 2000, Lucent spun off its Enterprise Networking Group, including the Omaha Works, to form Avaya. Then again in 2004, in an ever changing telecommunications environment, Avaya sold its Connectivity Solutions Division, including the Omaha Works, to North Carolina based CommScope Inc. In 2010, as employment continued to drop, CommScope announced its plans to close the plant. The closing officially took place in July of 2011.
This was the sad end of an era. For over 50 years, this proud Western Electric facility and its employees had made outstanding contributions to the expansion of telephone service across this country. The Omaha Works - an important part of our shared history.
The editor thanks former Omaha employee Stephen Miller for providing background information. For more information on the Omaha Works, visit www.omahaworks.net
In 1956, with the demand for telephone service exploding across the country, Western Electric announced its plans to construct a new major manufacturing facility in the Omaha, Nebraska area. Ground breaking for the new facility took place on June 28, 1956, and four months later, construction began. When the work was completed on November 15, 1958, the structure included 12.8 tons of structural steel, 2.8 million bricks, 43,000 concrete blocks, 1.5 million feet of electrical conductors and 20,000 electrical light fixtures. The Works would grow to become the largest building in Nebraska.
Arthur Goetze was President of Western Electric at the time of construction and Paul Gorman, a future president of the company, was then Vice President of Manufacturing. The first plant manager was H. P. Heath. Many of the early supervisory employees were transfers from the Hawthorne Works. The in-house employee newsletter, The Westerner, was first published in September of 1957 and over the years recorded the many achievements and activities of Omaha Works employees.
The Omaha plant would be designed to produce cable and associated apparatus, but also crossbar and PBX equipment. By the late 1960’s the Omaha Works location was the number one producer of crossbar equipment in the country. In later years, crossbar and PBX manufacture would be phased out, and the Works would focus on its cable and apparatus lines.
The Omaha Works produced aerial, buried, underground and inside cable. Exchange cable produced at Omaha was PIC (polyethylene-insulated cable). Vinyl cable was also manufactured. Among the associated cable apparatus manufactured at Omaha were: cable stubs, cable terminals, connectors, central office connectors, cabinets of various types, connecting blocks, protectors, and various tools required for the installation of telephone cable and wire. At its peak operation in the early 1970’s, the Omaha Works would provide employment for 7,700 workers. The Omaha Works was a major supplier of cable and apparatus for the Bell System..
With divestiture in 1984, the Omaha Works would become a part of the newly formed AT&T Technologies and continue as a major source of cable apparatus. In 1996, AT& T would split off its products and systems businesses to form Lucent Technologies, and the Omaha Works would become a Lucent facility. Then in 2000, Lucent spun off its Enterprise Networking Group, including the Omaha Works, to form Avaya. Then again in 2004, in an ever changing telecommunications environment, Avaya sold its Connectivity Solutions Division, including the Omaha Works, to North Carolina based CommScope Inc. In 2010, as employment continued to drop, CommScope announced its plans to close the plant. The closing officially took place in July of 2011.
This was the sad end of an era. For over 50 years, this proud Western Electric facility and its employees had made outstanding contributions to the expansion of telephone service across this country. The Omaha Works - an important part of our shared history.
The editor thanks former Omaha employee Stephen Miller for providing background information. For more information on the Omaha Works, visit www.omahaworks.net
Text and article written by: Gary Reichow, LRO Newsletter Editor
P.S. I remember a retiree in the sales department always saying during his famous presentations to customers at the plant in the Product Display Center.... " “the Works had over 1.1 million square feet under roof”. G.Viner
When the plant opened there were several management people from Duluth, MN, and from the Lincoln, NE plant which closed, when the Omaha plant opened. Another product which was manufactured was the 710 splicing connectors. F.Markesi
P.S.S. More from the employees?
if you remember more ...please send me an email with your famous quote or observations the above contact form
When the plant opened there were several management people from Duluth, MN, and from the Lincoln, NE plant which closed, when the Omaha plant opened. Another product which was manufactured was the 710 splicing connectors. F.Markesi
P.S.S. More from the employees?
if you remember more ...please send me an email with your famous quote or observations the above contact form