It started with a simple metal fastener. In 1901, a company founded in the U.S. began manufacturing cap screws. It was a humble origin for what would become a massive industrial conglomerate. By 1916, the entity was incorporated as the Steel Products Co. The identity shifted again in 1926, adopting the name Thompson Products, Inc.
This was just the beginning of a long string of rebrands. The company grew through acquisition and merger. In 1958, it merged to become Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc. The name shortened to TRW Inc. in 1965.
The company spanned diverse sectors. Its divisions produced automotive parts. They built electronic systems for military aircraft. They constructed spacecraft. Beyond hardware, the information systems segment maintained databases used for screening credit histories. This data service was a significant part of their portfolio.
The end of TRW as an independent entity came in 2002. Defense contractor Northrop Grumman acquired the company. The primary motive was its aerospace division. The transaction marked the conclusion of a century-old corporate lineage that had pivoted from basic steel goods to complex defense technology.
