Subject:
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Re: 2006 - 45 Years Of Lego in the USA
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Tue, 11 Apr 2006 04:17:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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1889 times
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In lugnet.general, David Koudys wrote:
> In lugnet.general, Gerhard R. Istok wrote:
> > Maybe I ought to rephrase that..... the Samsonite fiasco caused TLG to start
> > from scratch in building new Lego operations and production in Enfield
> > Connecticut.
> >
> > It is also interesting to note that when the Samsonite of Canada license expired
> > in 1986, there was none of this turmoil (except perhaps for those Canadian
> > Samsonite Lego workers who were out of a job when Lego operations moved to
> > Enfield). Ditto in 1993 when Courtauld's Lego license expired in Britain,
> > Australia, and the rest of the British Commonwealth.
> >
> > Since 1993, Lego operations worldwide have been under TLG control.
> >
> > Gary Istok
>
> I had a tour of the plant in Stratford in '85-86ish...
>
> I don't think too many people were displaced--right beside the machine that
> pumped out LEGO was the machine that pumped out luggage. They showed me the
> LEGO molds and those were stored with the luggage molds.
>
> Probably just produced luggage after '86.
>
> I think the plant is still there (though I could be wrong about that)...
>
> Dave K
Dave, Gary:
About the Samsonite Plants:
Samsonite's first plant was built around 1910 in Denver CO. There they produced
trunks, and later, Samsonite Luggage.
When the railroad companies effectively doubled their freight charges in the
1920's the Schwayders looked for a second location East of the Mississippi. In
1928 they leased an old Fisher Body plant in Ecorse MI (a Detroit suburb). Later
they bought the plant.
During the depression they branched out into a number of other businesses but
the one that was successful was furniture. They began producing folding card
tables and later folding chairs. The Denver plant eventually produced luggage
and tables and the Ecorse plant produced luggage, table and chairs.
In 1956 they built a plant in Stratford, Ontario to produce luggage for Canada
and their expanding European market. Later they built 2 more furniture plants,
in Murfreesboro TN and Fort Smith AK.
In 1961, after they were awarded the NA Lego license they added Lego parts
production to the Stratford plant.
Later, in 1964, they began construction on a new Lego plant in Loveland, CO. The
plant went into production in Mar or April of 1965. The Loveland plant only
produced Lego.
So by the mid-1960's Samsonite was producing Lego at no less than 2 plants. This
relatively large volume production capacity was one reason why they were able to
make such large sets, especially their sets for catalog retailers.
Of course, this large production volume is also one reson why Lego wanted their
license back!
After Lego regained their license in 1972 the Stratford plant continued to
produce Lego parts until 1986. The Loveland plant, however was sold to the
Water-Pik company in 1973.
Water-Pik used the plant until January of this year. They finally sent all of
their production to China. As far as I know the Loveland plant (which still
looks just like it did in 1965) is still for sale.
Do you guys want to go in together and buy it?
--Jim
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: 2006 - 45 Years Of Lego in the USA
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| (...) Is that the facility at 609 14th Street SW? With the big studded features over the door? That's either a big decorating coincidence, or those things must really be embedded in the structure (to not have been replaced in the last 30 years). (...) (18 years ago, 11-Apr-06, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: 2006 - 45 Years Of Lego in the USA
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| (...) I had a tour of the plant in Stratford in '85-86ish... I don't think too many people were displaced--right beside the machine that pumped out LEGO was the machine that pumped out luggage. They showed me the LEGO molds and those were stored (...) (18 years ago, 11-Apr-06, to lugnet.general)
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