From Pink 2 Floyd(THINK PINK): May 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Brief history of the Zippo lighter.

Founder George G Blaisdell (1895 - 1978)

Zippo was founded in 1932 when George G. Blaisdell decided to create a lighter that would look good and be easy to use. On a warm summer night in 1931 George was at the Bradford Country Club. Legend has it that he stepped outside and was in conversation with a very elegantly dressed man. His acquaintance lit a cigarette with a lighter which seemed to George a clumsy and unsightly accessory for such a well dressed man and he couldn’t help remarking “You’re all dressed up, why don’t you get a lighter that looks decent?” “Because it works” was the reply.

That answer so impressed the practical minded George that he applied for, and was granted, the US distribution rights for the $1.00 Austrian made lighter. This consisted of two main pieces, a removable brass lid, and a brass bottom case that held the wick, fuel reservoir and striking mechanism. In an effort to improve the lighters appearance he persuaded the Austrian manufacturers to chrome plate the the case, but sales were still disappointing and he soon gave up his distribution rights for the imported lighter.

In 1932 he set out to design and manufacture a lighter of his own. He rented a small workshop above the Rickerson & Pryde garage in Bradford for $10.00 a month. His original investment was $800.00 and he employed six people. Fascinated by another recent invention, the zipper, he called his new lighter Zippo and backed it with a Lifetime Guarantee. The first 1933 lighter was one-quarter inch taller than the ones we know today, and it had sharp square corners and an external hinge.

Those early years must have been pretty tough, but here we are in 2008 and Zippo has produced over 400 million windproof lighters since its founding in 1932. Except for improvements to the flint wheel, hinges, and modifications in case finishes, his original design remains virtually unchanged today. The Lifetime Guarantee that accompanies every Zippo metal product still guarantees that “It works or we fix it free”

George G. Blaisdell remained as head of his company until he passed away in 1978.

Build your product with integrity .... stand behind it 100% and success will follow.

George G Blaisdell.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

ZIPPO


Zippo Manufacturing Company este cea mai faimoasa producatoare de brichete antivant din lume.Garantate pe viata, brichetele Zippo s-au vandut pina in ziua de azi in peste 400 milioane de exemplare.
INFIINTARE Compania a luat nastere in 1932 in Bradford, Pennsylvania cand George G. Blaisdell a decis sa creeze niste brichete pe cat de utile si rezistente, pe atat de aspectoase si usor de folosit.Pentru aceasta a apelat la un producator australian de brichete antivant de unde s-a inspirit pentru viitorul model standard Zippo, a obtinut de la acesta toate drepturile de fabricatie si, implementand propria tehnologie in realizarea brichetelor, a dat drumul productiei.Fascinat de o inventie extrem de apreciata in acele vremuri, fermoarul (zipper), Blaisdell isi va intitula creatia “Zippo”
TEHNOLOGIE . Tehnologia elaborata de Blaisdell era pe cat de simpla pe atat de sigura (dovada fiind garantia pe viata care insotea fiecare bricheta):- capacul brichetei se prindea de corpul brichetei printr-o balama,spre deosebire de cele australiene unde capacul era complet detasabil -fitilul era amplasat intr-un lacas antivant In afara imbunatatirilor aduse mecanismului de aprindere si finisarilor, design-ul original este neschimbat si in ziua de azi, insa la fel de practic si apreciat. EVOLUTIE In peste 120 de tari in care Zippo isi comercializeaza produsele (plaja fiind, insa, in continua crestere), brichetele sale au devenit sinonime cu maiestria si calitatea americana, motiv pentru care acestea au ajuns, in timp, piese de colectie.Vazand impatimirea colectionarilor sai, Zippo publica ”Zippo Lighter Collectors' Guide”, un ghid cu ilustratii, descrieri amanuntite si coduri Zippo .In Anglia, Italia, Elvetia, Germania, Japonia si SUA se infiinteaza cluburi pentru colectionarii de brichete, Zippo sponsorizandu-si si el propriul club: “Zippo Click”.
ZIPPO IN AL DOILEA RAZBOI MONDIAL Nici un alt eveniment din istorie nu a crescut popularitatea brichetelor Zippo asa cum a facut-o cel de-al doilea Razboi Mondial. Din 1943 si pina la sfarsitul razboiului, intreaga productie Zippo a fost directionata catre soldatii raspinditi in intreaga lume. Deoarece rezervele de crom si alama necesare realizarii acestor brichete erau destul de reduse, materialul a fost inlocuit cu un otel mai usor de procurat, otel peste care se aplica un strat gros de vopsea neagra.Aceasta era imaginea a ceea ce s-a numit “bricheta celui de-al doilea Razboi Mondial”

	MUZEUL ZIPPO In 1997 se deschide Zippo/Case Visitors Center situat in sediul initial al fabricii din Bradford, Route 219, strada devenind cunoscuta ca“strada brichetelor”. In incinta celor 15.000 mp pe care muzeul ii insumeaza sunt expuse produse Zippo din timpurile cele mai vechi ale existentei companiei pina in ziua de azi, dar si produse ZAC (Zippo si Case).