MS – 199 DAYCO Corporation

Introduction

The DAYCO Corporation business records photographs chronicle the history of the company from its early beginning as the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company to its later operation as the DAYCO Corporation in Dayton, Ohio and the operation of its numerous divisions and subsidiaries throughout the world in the twentieth century. The collection was donated to the Special Collections and Archives Department of the Wright State University Libraries in October of 1986 by William Piecuch, Director of Communications, DAYCO Corporation.

The collection occupies seventeen boxes of 8.5 linear feet. This includes thirteen boxes of photographs or approximately 2 linear feet. The DAYCO Corporation records date inclusively from 1905-1974. There are no restrictions on the use of the collection.

The collection is arranged into the following series and sub-series:

Series 1: Historical Files

Series 2: Advertising Reprints

Series 3: Oversize Materials

Series 4: Photographs

Sub-series A: Alliance Tire and Rubber Company, Limit

Sub-series B: Cadillac Plastic and Chemical Company

Sub-series C: Dayton Plant

Sub-series D: Waynesville, NC Plant

Sub-series E: Additional Plants, Laboratories and Warehouses

Sub-series F: People

Sub-series G: Events

Sub-series H: Foam Mattresses

Sub-series I: Pontoons

Sub-series J: Printing Products

Sub-series K: Textiles

Sub-series L: Tires

Sub-series M: Miscellaneous Products

Sub-series N: Miscellaneous

Agency History

The DAYCO Corporation was founded on May 17, 1905 as the Dayton Rubber Company by Col. John C. Hooven, a nationally known industrialist, of Hamilton, Ohio to manufacture garden hose, fruit-jar rings, and other products made of natural rubber. In 1908, John A. MacMillian, a young inventor from Prince Edward Island, joined the company with a new product, the airless tire, which he had patented. He served the company as general manager, company president, and in 1936, retired as the Chairman of the Board of the company. The airless tire proved to be a sales success and was responsible for much of the company’s early growth and prosperity. In 1913, the Dayton Rubber Company introduced for sale the first white sidewall tires.

In 1917, ground was broken on a new factory site for the Dayton Rubber Company of more than twenty acres on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The first unit of the plant was completed and occupied in 1918. Two years later, in 1920, the plant was expanded and was able to double its output.

In 1919, A.L. Freedlander joined the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company as chief chemist and engineer, and factory manager. In n1921, he initiated the “Diversification Program” which moved the company into the production of varied products throughout the years. In 1936, Freedlander became company president and general manager, a position he held until he was elevated to the position of Board Chairman in 1957. He held the position of Board Chairman until he stepped down in 1968 to become Chairman of the Executive Committee and a Director, positions he held until his death in 1971 at the age of 82 years. Remarkably, Freedlander’s career with the DAYCO Corporation spanned 52 years.

Throughout the years, the DAYCO Corporation was responsible for many industry firsts. Among some of the DAYCO Corporation’s company firsts were the first pneumatic tire and later the first tubeless pneumatic tire; the first “raw edge” automotive fan belt; the first industrial V-Belt, which has never been substantially modified, and the first successful V-Belt using a fastener (railroads); the first cog-belt; the world’s first low-air-pressure tire; the first synthetic rubber printing rollers; the first synthetic rubber tire; the first synthetic rubber textile manufacturing components; the first plastic hose for hairdryers and vacuum cleaners; and the unispace 9500 chair for first and tourist class airline passengers.

In the 1930’s, the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company, entered the textile field, another move toward diversification of products. The company produced vital machinery parts for spinning and weaving machinery by adapting newer types of synthetic rubber for many of the parts. In 1941, a new plant was built in Waynesville, NC to produce textile machinery parts.

During World War II, the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company made significant contributions to the war effort by producing wartime products. The plant in Dayton, Ohio produced bogie tires for tanks and light-weight, non-collapsible life-giving oxygen hose able to withstand extreme temperature ranges and at the Waynesville, NC plant, pontoons and life rafts were produced. For their efforts, both plants received the Army-Navy “E” Awards.

The Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company, later known as the DAYCO Corporation, acquired many companies throughout the years which led to its successful diversification of products. Some of the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company’s divisions or subsidiaries include(d) the following:

American Latex Products Corporation of Hawthorne, California, acquired in 1952, a principal producer of foam rubber mattresses, cushions, and furniture pads.

Cadillac Plastic and Chemical Co. of Detroit, Michigan, acquired in 1957, responsible for producing plastic sheet, rod, and tubing.

Hardman Aerospace (subsidiary) of West Los Angeles, California, acquired in 1959, whose principle products include aircraft seating, interior components and cargo containers, and aerospace restraint systems.

In 1963, the Cadco Film Division, whose principle product includes solvent cast and shrinkable PVC film, was established.

In 1967, the Los Angeles Standard Rubber Co. (subsidiary), a producer of rubber and silicone seals and gaskets, and miscellaneous aircraft products; and L.E. Carpenter & Company (subsidiary) of Wharton, New Jersey, a producer of high style vinyl wall coverings were acquired. Seward Luggage Manufacturing (subsidiary) of Petersburg, Virginia, a producer of trunks, and soft and hard side luggage; and TA Fastener Company (subsidiary) of Los Angeles, California, a principle producer of fasteners, aircraft hardware, clamps, and precision instrument cases were purchased for cash the same year.

In 1960, the company had officially changes its name from the Dayton Rubber (Manufacturing) Company to the DAYCO Corporation.

Scope and Content

Series I: Historical Files

Included in this series are the DAYCO Corporation records which span the years 1905-1974, documenting the activities of the company and its varied products over the years. The company records are arranged alphabetically by file folder within each box and if possible, the materials within the respective file folder(s) are arranged chronologically. This series contains correspondence, reports, memos, working papers, newspaper clippings, newsletters, annual and quarterly reports, catalogs, sales manuals (domestic and international), and ephemera. Of special interest are files (two) on A.L. Freedlander, who devoted 52 years of his life to the company as company president and general manager, later as Board Chairman and then as Chairman of the Executive Committee and a Director. The earliest record, dates 1905, is the company’s Articles of Incorporation.

Series II: Advertising Reprints

The advertising reprints, arranged chronologically by file folder, which make up this series cover the years 1961-1969. Included are reprints of ads, both industrial and non-industrial, which appeared in a variety of magazines. The industrial ad reprints cover the years 1961-1969 while the non-industrial ad reprints are from the years 1968 and 1969. Both reprints of black and white and color advertisements are included.

Series III: Oversize Materials

This series contains items which were two large in size to be placed in file folders within their particular series and had to be placed in a larger size box to accommodate them. Included in this series are the “Dayton Views”, a company newsletter from the years 1941-1944 (produced during the years of World War II) and oversize photographs. One photograph, circa 1917, is of people at the new plant location near the railroad before it was constructed and three photographs, circa the first decade of the twentieth century, are of company picnics.

Series V: Photographs

This series is divided into fourteen sub-series: A. Alliance Tire and Rubber, Limited; B. Cadillac Plastic and Chemical Company; C. Dayton Plant; D. Waynesville, NC Plant; E. Additional Plants, Laboratories, and Warehouses; F. People; G. Events; H. Foam Mattresses; I. Pontoons; J. Printing Products; K. Textiles; L. Tires; M. Miscellaneous Products; and N. Miscellaneous. Included in this series, spanning the years 1934-1972, is an extensive collection of photographs and a small collection of slides and negatives which provide a visual documentary of the DAYCO Corporation. Chronicled visually is the history of the company through the various photographs, slides and negatives which depict scenes of the company, its numerous plants its employees, its events and its varied products.

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