Hoping to scale production and outpace his competitors, Antonio switched from wooden wagons to all-steel ones in the mid-1920s. By the 1930s, Antonio’s process was so operationally efficient that his team of 140 workers could stamp out 1,500 of them each day. In 1987, Radio Steel & Manufacturing changed its name for a third time, to Radio Flyer Inc. This name immediately brought to mind its most popular product.
Nostalgia didn’t have to be a ceiling, it could be a flywheel. For example, the company has partnered with Tesla to produce kid-sized Model S cars, powered by lithium-ion batteries. And its e-commerce store allows online shoppers to customize their own vehicles, similar to how Nike ID lets sneakerheads design shoes according to their tastes. The century-old company is launching a line of scooters and e-bikes — but the little red wagon isn’t going anywhere.
The 1950s saw a yellow wagon inspired by the movie Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and a blue wagon produced in partnership with Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club. Wagons from the 1970s borrowed the stylings of the muscle cars of the day, including the Fireball 2001 inspired by Evel Knievel. The 1990s saw the introduction of the “Quad Shock Wagon” echoing sport utility vehicles. The “Ultimate Family Wagon”, introduced in 2007, includes a sunshade and an adjustable seat; the design won a Chicago Innovation Award in 2007. SponsoredContentCan total joint replacement restore your quality of life? If you suffer from joint pain, you know how it can greatly affect the quality of your life.
Radio Flyer has more than 100 award-winning products available around the globe. Since 1917, the family-owned company has created icons of childhood, building a legacy of high quality, timeless and innovative toys that spark the imagination and inspire outdoor, active play. With over a billion wheels on the road, Radio Flyer wheels have carried, hauled and fueled more kids’ play and adventures than any other ride-on toy. Radio Flyer has received numerous awards, including “Best Places to Work” by Fortune, “Top Small Workplaces,” by The Wall Street Journal and “5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America,” by Inc.
Despite the depression, Antonio had his sights set on the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The flashy red color became a mainstay for the Radio Flyers early on, but no one really knows why. “Some people say it was because my grandfather was Italian,” says Robert, explaining that Ferraris and spaghetti sauce, both Italian staples, are red. Over the years, the company has tried many colors, but red always zoomed ahead of the others in sales. That kind of versatility has certainly given the iconic, fire hydrant red Radio Flyer some serious staying power.
But in the past few years, wagons have really come a long way in a short amount of time. We’re talking premium features, all-terrain wheels, cup holders, sun/rain shades, you name it. In 1923, after Antonio’s business had grown to include several employees, he founded the Liberty Coaster Company. He named the company after the Statue of Liberty that had welcomed him into the country. Continuing to grow his company, Pasin began using the technology of metal stamping and mass production techniques similar to those used in the auto industry. /PRNewswire/ — Radio Flyer, the 105-year-old maker of the Original Little Red Wagon®, officially launched their first product designed specifically for use in children’s hospitals – the Hero Wagon.
The battery is integrated into the frame, but is removable for indoor charging. If you’re interested, you can donate money to Starlight specifically to fund these wagons. Starlight CEO Adam Garone told ABC15 his family knows the impact of the wagons firsthand. The wagon comes with frozen ride on toy an IV pole attachment, is made from medical-grade fabric that can easily be cleaned, and has a seatbelt with high, detachable walls, making for a comfortable and safe ride. The idea behind them is to make a child’s hospital experience a little less scary and a little more fun.
Despite the Depression, which idled many other industries, Radio Steel worked at full capacity throughout the 1930s. Although the company made its mark with the classic, simple red coaster wagon, it also made more sophisticated products, such as the Streak-O-Lite of 1934, a wagon with control dials and working headlights. Another popular 1930s model was the Zep, which imitated the streamlined styling of the day’s fancy automobiles. Pasin passed on his success to his workers, initiating generous programs such as English language tutoring within the factory. He also provided interest-free loans to his workers so they could build houses, contributing to the stability of the mostly Italian neighborhood around the factory on Chicago’s West Side.
This month, they will launch the newly patented design, the Hero Wagon, retrofitted specifically to transport sick children safely. Robert’s biggest challenge has been reinventing the company, which he’s done by focusing exclusively on children’s toys, expanding product development and moving manufacturing abroad. These flashy, frozen ride on toy cheaper wagons could take on a wider range of designs than the company’s classic metal-stamped variety. Even in the depths of the downturn, the company sold around 1,500 wagons a day. The wagons were a hit with his customers who wanted them as toys for their kids, so Pasin started making them under the name Liberty Coasters.