Tri-City refers to the three cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, Illinois; the company later had a connection with Clinton, Iowa which was not far away. It was started by a couple of radio amateurs who liked to design and build radio equipment and started selling it to other amateurs. the name "Tri-City Radio Laboratory" first appeared in print in June 1916 although it was later claimed to have dated from 1914. The address was a ham station 9XR of Robert Karlowa in the Best Building in Rock Island. His partner was probably William Kirwan of Davenport, 9XE.

In the November 1925 edition of The Radio Trade Directory on page 120, under the listing for manufacturers of crystal sets the Tri-City Electric company was still listed as a manufacturer. Trade Names: TRESCO, Trescola, Simple Simon

After WWI Tri-City began advertising a series of small tuner boxes and some complete receivers. After December 1919 the ads are signed "Tresco Sales Agency, Davenport" while the flyers give Clinton, Iowa as the location of the "Perfection Radio Laboratory" or later the "Manufacturing Department".
In mid to late 1925 Steinite Radio acquired the remnants of Tri-City Radio Electric Supply (Tresco). The operation was then taken over by Steinite Radio Co.