Philco in Other Parts of the World
Central & South America
Philco developed a distribution network in this part of the world to sell its radio receivers which were built in the USA. From mid-1938 on, Philco's "Tropic" line of receivers were build specifically for this market, as they were built with specially treated coils and chassis to resist high humidity.
China
Following the end of the Second World War, Philco arranged for the Central Radio Corporation, under the ownership of the National Resources Commission of China, to assemble Philco Tropic radios and to distribute Philco products in northern and central China.
The company had two plants, one in Tientsin (now Tianjin) and another at Nanking (Nanjing).
It is not definitely known at this time whether or not this arrangement ended in 1949 with China's Communist revolution, but it can be assumed that Philco's activities in China most likely ceased at that time.
France
Philco radios were exported to France by Philco Radio & Television Corporation of Great Britain.
India
Philco not only exported radios to India, but also maintained a service organization there as well.
Mexico
As with Central and South America, Philco exported radios to Mexico. A new Philco plant in Mexico City opened in 1948 for the manufacture of Philco Tropic radios.
New Zealand
Philco exported radios from the USA to New Zealand from 1929 until 1937 when local restrictions on imports forced Philco to make changes. At first, Philco continued to export radio chassis to New Zealand, where the chassis were assembled into locally-produced cabinets by a New Zealand firm, Dominion Radio and Electrical Corporation, Ltd., also known as DRECO. Later, DRECO assumed production of both chassis and cabinets for the New Zealand market.
Philco Around The World
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| Advertisement for Philco radios, Delhi, India, 1936 | |
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| The service department of A. Aristizabal & Cia., Philco distributors in Cali, Colombia, 1936 | Fred G. Reifenberg (left), Philco export parts and service representative, with Ed Fitz of Evans, Barnes and Fitz, Philco distributors in South Africa. 1938 |
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| Reifenberg with Mohammed Ebriham, Philco distributor in Madras, India. 1938 | The service department staff of Radio Supply Stores, Calcutta, India, 1938 |
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| Central Radio Corporation, Philco licensee in China, 1948 | Philco plant in Mexico City, 1948 |
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| Elba Estrada, radio technician in the Service Department, Distribuidora Philco, S.A., Bogota, Colombia, 1948 | |
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| Philco Super Radio, Model 2620B. France, 1936 | Philco Model 37-620B, New Zealand, 1937 Photo courtesy Bob Wood |
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| Philco Tropic Model 46-888, New Zealand, 1946 Photo courtesy Bob Wood |
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