About ZIPPO MANUFACTURING CO
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Zippo Manufacturing Company’s history is the story of its people. It was founded in the early 1930s by George G. Blaisdell. All Zippo employees, customers, and collectors have played a vital role in the company’s rich history. Their loyalty and dedication have made Zippo Manufacturing Company one of America’s greatest and most recognizable icons. In a world where we find most products available with limited warranties, the company backs the Zippo pocket lighter with a lifetime guarantee. The Zippo pocket lighter or cigarette lighter is deeply ingrained in American culture and is a global icon of reliability and durability.
The Beginning
It began in the early 1930s at the Bradford Country Club in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Mr. Blaisdell, the founder, watched a friend struggle awkwardly to use an Austrian-made lighter. He saw that the lighter worked well, but the appearance and design were inefficient. It required two hands to operate the lighter, and its thin metal surface was easily dented. So, in the late 1932s, he decided to reconstruct the Austrian lighter. He designed an attractive lighter with a chimney design that was easily operated with one hand. Also, he liked the sound of the word “zipper,” so he tried several variations of the word until he settled on “Zippo.” He sold this new pocket lighter for $1.95 each and backed it with an unconditional lifetime guarantee. The first Zippo lighter, produced in 1933, is displayed at the Zippo/Case Museum in Bradford.
The Effect of War
When America entered the World War in 1941, Zippo dedicated all production to the United States military. It led to the production of a steel-case Zippo lighter with a black crackle finish. Millions of American personnel carrying the lighter into battle acted as a catalyst in establishing Zippo as an American icon throughout the world. After the war ended in 1945, Zippo started producing and selling lighters for the consumer market.
Pursuit of Innovation
Zippo’s next major milestone was launching the Slim Lighter in 1956. It was a smaller version of the Zippo lighter designed to appeal to women but, much to Mr. Blaisdell’s surprise, also appealed to men. In 1962, the company produced its first non-lighter product, the steel pocket tape measure. The company is also known for manufacturing high-quality lighter fluid.
Expansion
Zippo Manufacturing Co. acquired W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company in 1993. This cutlery company manufactures premium hand-crafted knives, including traditional fixed blade sporting knives, folding pocket knives, and limited-edition collectibles and commemoratives. The Zippo/Case Museum was opened in July 1997. It is a 15,000-square-foot facility that includes a store and museum. In 2010, Zippo acquired the Ronson brand of lighters and the Ronsonol brand of fuel.
Continued Growth
In the early 2000s, Zippo launched the first Zippo MPL, a multi-purpose and refillable utility-style lighter. The company introduced an all-metal hand warmer in 2010, establishing the Zippo outdoor products. Zippo’s continued expansion in overseas markets, particularly China and India, and strong domestic sales led to record sales in 2011 and 2012. In 2011 the Zippo Outdoor product selection expanded to include an emergency fire starter kit and flex neck utility lighter.
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