The IKA Story

In 1954, Kaiser Industries decided to set up a plant in Argentina so to start local mass production of cars. This marked the beginning of IKA (Industrias Kaiser Argentina), a pioneer in Argentine car industry and, from a historical point of view, one of the most important companies in local car sector.Throughout this book, the head of Kaiser’s operations in Argentina, James F. McCloud, narrates thirteen years of history. Written in pleasant and engaging style, McCloud’s memoirs examine the intricacies of negotiations with Peron’s Administration, the state of industrial art in Argentina, and the country’s capabilities to develop its car industry. He also offers his impressions on Argentine culture, and details his relationship with workers and his commitment to fostering links between Company and Cordoba’s community. McCloud’s captivating historical and personal account -which features figures as political leader Juan Domingo Peron, five-time F1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, prestigious car designer Gian Battista Pininfarina and expert in car ingenieering innovation Oreste Berta- rides us readers from the manufacturing of the first argentine Jeep, to legendary vehicles production like Estanciera, Carabela, Bergantin, Rambler, and, of course, IKA’s masterpiece: Torino.Published on the tenth anniversary of McCloud’s passing, this new special edition seeks to make available his memoires for a wider English-speaking public. As such, we have endeavored to provide a text as faithful as possible to the one McCloud self-published in 1995.