Tecla Company was founded in 1897 by Thomas E. Clark (T.E. Clark), a well known inventor of the era. He founded the company to make wireless radio receivers and transmitters. Mr. Clark established himself as one of the forefathers in ship-to-shore wireless communication.
Experimental radio sets were the company's mainstay at the turn of the century and into the early twenties. Clark developed and built the transmitter for WWJ Radio One, the first truly commercial radio station in the United States. The stock market crash and the depression that followed nearly ended the company's solvency. But the strong efforts and resolve of Clark and his eldest son, James E. Clark, reestablished Tecla as a manufacturer of quality mechanical and electrical equipment.
Closely following the depression, Tecla evolved into a tool building and design shop doing experimental work. With this platform, in the late thirties, James E. Clark and Charles Laing developed the dog nail trimmer. Under the brand name “RESCO” (Research Engineering and Sales Company), sales of the trimmer began. World War II interrupted the growing line of Resco Pet Products and Tecla became fully involved in the war effort.
Later, with the war over, Tecla developed a full line of quality pet products. Tecla’s downtown Detroit location was moved to northwest
Detroit. Norval F. Clark, the youngest son of founder Thomas E. Clark, joined the firm. Through continued quality and craftsmanship, Resco Pet Products carved a niche in the professional groomers and handlers market and sales continued upward.