▁Tr aste k ▁purchased ▁Metal ▁W are . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁purchase , ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁renamed ▁The ▁Metal ▁W are ▁Corporation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁the ▁Empire ▁line ▁of ▁to y ▁trains ▁was ▁sp un ▁off ▁into ▁a ▁separate ▁business ▁named ▁Empire ▁Product s ▁Company . ▁ ▁The ▁Metal ▁W are ▁Corporation ▁continued ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁the ▁to ys ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁company . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁obtained ▁a ▁franch ise ▁for ▁making ▁Disney ▁character ▁to ys ▁from ▁the ▁Sil ly ▁Sym phon ies ▁animated ▁short ▁films . ▁ ▁As ▁with ▁many ▁companies ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁they ▁experienced ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁labor ▁un ions ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Labor ▁announ cing ▁that ▁they ▁completely ▁union ized ▁the ▁employees ▁of ▁the ▁Metal ▁W are ▁Corporation ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁▁ 1 9 4 1 - 1 9 4 5 ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁The ▁Metal ▁W are ▁Corporation ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁contract s ▁for ▁arms ▁production . ▁ ▁By ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁essential ▁consumer ▁goods ▁were ▁in ▁short ▁supply ▁and ▁the ▁War ▁Production ▁Board ▁author ized ▁The ▁Metal ▁W are ▁Cor p ▁to ▁res ume ▁production ▁of ▁elect rical ▁app li ances ▁as ▁materials ▁and ▁labor ▁became ▁available . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁because ▁of ▁continued ▁war ▁production , ▁the ▁company ▁began ▁construction ▁of ▁a