Henry J. Kaiser decided to enter the aluminum business when World War II ended. Wrapping up Liberty Ship production on the west coast, Henry wanted to get into the aluminum refining operation. Large deposits of bauxite, one of the key ingredients,were discovered on Jamacia, so Henry set up a refining operation near Baton Rouge, Louisana in the plant constructed for the war effort by Alcoa Aluminum. Less than three months after the start of the conversion, the plant began making alumina, and less than six months after that, began making a profit. Dusty Rhoades was the first plant manager.
Kaiser Aluminum soon found a market for it's goods, not only with the war department, for use in airplane parts, vehicles and ships, but in civilian life too.
In 1954 a new plant was built in Ravenswood, West Virginia. This plant produced aluminum sheet for airplane skins and foil for cooking. Kaiser foil was marketed as "The Ribbed Foil" because of it's textured surface.
Kaiser Aluminum is still in business today. In addition to sheet and bar stock, they produce many auto parts for most major manufacturers including Ford, General Motors and Harley Davidson motorcycles. The engine cradle and front frame assembly on the Ford Taurus and Contour is made by Kaiser Aluminum using a special water injection method. Many of the aluminum suspension components for the Chevrolet Corvette are made by Kaiser Aluminum. Harley Davidson also has some smaller parts on their motorcycles made by Kaiser.
Kaiser Aluminum stock is publically traded on the AMEX and their ticker ID is KLU.
Some of the items made by Kaiser Aluminum include:
TV dinners The next TV dinner you have may be lined by a Kaiser Aluminum tray!
In 1959 Kaiser sponsored a cooking contest that had as it's first prize a trip to Hawaii, where the winner would be the guest of Kaiser's newly constructed Hawaiian Village Hotel. A cookbook was distributed to get men, to whom the contest was targeted, to sign up.
Some of the prizes included the aforementioned trip, Jeep station wagons, and cookout equipment. Does anyone know who won?
Kaiser also sponsored an exhibit at Disneyland. Billed as the Land of Tomorrow, it featured a guide in a spacesuit in front of a large telescope. Postcards were sold with a picture of the exhibit. I wonder where it is now...
Visit your local Kaiser-Frazer
Dealer today!
Don't forget
your local Jeep dealer too!
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This Page Last Updated on: August 9, 1945
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