Boyer, known as the Obenchain-Boyer Company from 1888 to 1925, Boyer Fire Apparatus Company from 1925 to the 1960s and Boyer-Universal from the 1960s to 1988, was a fire apparatus builder located in Logansport, Indiana.
History[]
John T. Obenchain and Stephen B. Boyer jointly ran a flour mill in Logansport, Indiana. After the mill was destroyed in a fire, they rebuilt their business as a manufacturer of chemical fire extinguishers. They incorporated the Obenchain-Boyer Company in 1888. In the early 1900s, the company specialized in chemical firefighting equipment and moved into complete apparatus production. Obenchain-Boyer was sold to new owners in 1925 and the Obenchain name was dropped. Boyer built many rigs onto early Dodge, Graham, and REO chassis; often times without any nameplates denoting it.
The company weathered the Great Depression, and continued to sell complete apparatus on commercial chassis as well as trailer pumps, hand-drawn hose & chemical reels and other firefighting equipment. After an early 1950s corporate restructuring, Boyer fire apparatus was built and sold by Universal Fire Apparatus. Some custom chassised rigs were introduced in the 1960s using International CO-8190 chassis. Quints were built using Grove Manufacturing aerial ladders. Universal-Boyer ceased operations in 1988.
Midwest-Boyer[]
Midwest Fire & Safety Equipment was a distributor located in Indianapolis, dealing initially with Maxim Motor Company apparatus. In the 1960s, Midwest became a dealer for Boyer, and Universal built several trucks under the Midwest-Boyer name.
Sources[]
- McCall, Walter M.P. Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Fire Engine Manufacturers. Hudson, WI: Iconografix, 2009. ISBN 9781583882528