BY JIM ALLEN

International Harvester had its red tendrils all over the globe. Even before International Harvester Company (IHC) was formed in 1902 by combining McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, the founding McCormick family had a long history of doing business in Europe. It’s no surprise that after many years of doing business in France, an IH factory would be opened there.

At first, McCormick exported products to sell through individual dealers in France. After the formation of IHC in 1902, the business relationships solidified; and, by 1906, IHC entered into an agreement with two businessmen, Raymond Wallut and Ets Faul, to distribute product.

Faul formed Compagnie Internationale des Machines Agricoles (CIMA) and distributed mostly the Deering-branded products. Wallut handled the Deering-branded items through a company bearing his name. In 1934, CIMA and Wallut merged to become CIMA-Wallut, distributing Deering and McCormick products, as well as other products. By the end of the 1930s, this company was the largest farm equipment distributor in France.