Budd Company historical files, 1914-1993 (bulk, 1929-1982).

ArchivalResource

Budd Company. Budd Company historical files, 1914-1993 (bulk, 1929-1982).

Budd Company historical files, 1914-1993 (bulk, 1929-1982).

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/213373813

The records of The Budd Company consist of a synthetic historical file assembled for public relations purposes at its Michigan headquarters. Some of the materials were removed from the Red Lion and Hunting Park plants in Philadelphia and some created in Michigan. Complete archival records generated at those plants have for the most part been destroyed. While some photographs and pamphlets were removed from Red Lion before the sale, all of the Budd drawings passed to Bombardier Inc. in 1987. The manuscript historical files contain a number of original items of some importance. Chief among these is an extensive typescript entitled The Life and Work of Edward G. Budd. This document seems to have been prepared as a basis for writing historical sketches or lectures. It contains both biographical information on Edward G. Budd, Sr., and on the early history of The Budd Company based on interviews and extracts or summaries of now-lost documents. Other important original documents include a report on The Budd Company facilities prepared for the Rover Company, Ltd., of Great Britain in 1925, a report on the Shotweld process prepared for the Civil Aeronautics Authority in 1939, both well illustrated, organization documents for Ambi-Budd Presswerk, GmbH, and a facsimile of a 1914 letter from the Dodge Brothers about an early Budd order. The remainder of the file consists of clippings, tear sheets, press releases, and various letters and pamphlets removed from their original context, all dealing with company products, personnel or employee relations. Among these are letters from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company from 1944 and materials relating to the Pioneer III and Metroliner railroad cars. One of the tear sheets describes how company official Paul Pleiss and his German counterpart at Ambi-Budd smuggled the secret of the German army innovative five gallon gasoline can out of Germany in 1939.

2 linear ft.

Hagley Museum & Library