The History of Aladdin Welding Products
In 1929, Ogden's determination to solve a customer's problem produced a unique product which has been the mainstay of our company ever since. This responsiveness to the needs of the customer has remained the strenght of the company and fueled its success for 60 years.
Back in the late Twenties, Ogden was frequently challenged to develop a product which could be used to solder zinc-based pot metal and aluminum. His customers needed a method of repairing fractured castings, a difficult taks which often resulted in failure.
Years of experimenting with carefully controlled heat and combination of virgin metals led to the creation of Aladdin Rod, today known as Aladdin 3-in-1 Rod. This remarkable product and method of application produced a weld which was stronger than the parent metal and did not require the use of flux. The application method received a U.S. patent in 1935 and is still "state-of-the-art."
The Foundry In A TrunkRoland Ogden was a resourceful and tenacious entrepreneur, inventor, and above all, a consummate salesman. The company he founded is now marketing its products worldwide from offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan, so it is a little hard to imagine that it once operated from the trunk of a 1931 Plymouth! In those early days of the 1930's, Ogden traveled with his wife, Flora, and their three daughters throughout the West and Midwest, selling Aladdin 3-in-1 Rod as they went. On the weekends, Flora and the girls would set up and aptly operate the foundry while Ogden screened the phone book for every possible prospect.
If Ogden could just give a demonstration, he was assured the sale of at least a single rod, which in those days might have resulted in a barter of farm-fresh food or a tank of gas. Barter was often a welcome way to stretch the precious silver dollars which were the main form of cash during the depression years.
The Ogden Family's teamwork was well established even before those "mobile summers" of the early 1930's. In fact, the first order that the company received was for 200 pounds of rod, an astounding quantity which caused the fledgling kitchen foundry to operate nonstop, three shifts a day, with every member of teh family pitching in.
The Turning Point: Obtaining A PatentThe summer of 1935 found the entire Ogden family back on the road, this time to Washington D.C. and the U.S. Patent Office. Because the patent being sought covered the unique method of application, the patent office demanded a personal demonstration by the inventor. Naturally, Ogden was happy to appear and use his persuasive powers on the government agents. Just as naturally, the whole family went along, with a car packed full of Aladdin Rod to be sold along the way!
On September 22, 1935, the patent was issued, protecting Ogden's remarkable invention. Shortly therafter, a trademark was registered for the word "Aladdin" accompanied by a graphic "Genie" to emphasize the magic strength of Aladdin 3-in-1 Rod.
A New AssociateBy the mid 30s, the armed forces were gearing up and Aladdin was growing rapidly. It became difficult for Odgen and the family to keep up, at least until daughter Dora met and won the heart of Gordon Hill. When Gordie joined the family, he was eager to put his talents to work in the business. his moonlighting soon turned into full time and then more than full time as the foundry operated 12 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week.
By 1940, the foundry was challenged to deliver government tonnage orders: 1,200 pounds every 10 days. Gordie rose to the challenge, designing a new casting system fabricated from stell book molds, C-clamps, and Bunsen burners. These molds furnished the armed forces with tons of Aladdin Rod throughout the war years. Gordie's early enthusiasm and dedication provided the fledging company with a new stability.
Friendships, A Lasting "Value Added"Aladdin's home town of Grand Rapids provided the company a warm hand of welcome in the late 1930's with a banking service based on its patent, trademark, and government orders, its only tangible assest in those days.
The Michigan welding supply community also had many knowledgeable individuals who were very generous in their friendship and support. Among those friends were C.E. (Chuck) Phillips, Detroit, who signed on as Aladdin's first distributor and Jack Honhart, Atlas Welding Accesories, who encouraged the expansion of the product line. Honhart also suggested that Aladdin issue its own catalog and shared his advertising tips.
Local individuals in the welding trade were venturing into partnerships: Glen Garman and Edward Butterfield were actively building their Purity Cylinder Gases and both men and their wives became close friends and supportive business associated. Dudley Layman of Layman Welding Supply was very active in the Society of Automotive Engineers and urged Gordon to join the American Welding Society. It was through the warmth and encouragement of such friends and business associates and the lasting trust of hundreds of distributors that Aladdin established its reputation for quality and personal, caring service. A friend is a friend forever.
Adapting To ChangePrior to World War II, Aladdin and most manufacturers depended upon direct sales to market their products. During the war, government priorities favored larger operations and left repair shops, farmers, and other small users with little buying power or choice of product.
Concerned leaders of the industry felt there was need for an organization to encourage distributors to carry a choice of product and brands. A visit with some welding supply distributors -Herb Weiler, Sr., V.S. Rice, Eddie Caluwaert, and Marcel Lampton- conviced Roland Ogden that he should join them in their efforts to blend marketing services and techinical assistance. Those individuals became charter members of the National Welding Supply Association.
As distributorships grew in all areas of the country, Aladdin was prepared to meet their needs. By specializing and stocking solder and flux in various alloys and diameters, Aladdin enabled distributors to offer great variety without the necessity of carrying a large inventory. Aladdin's "small order service" has always served distributors well, and it excels in today's Just-in-Time delivery environment.
Development of new products and new applications has been a priority for Aladdin right from the beginning. First through Roland, then Gordie, there has been constant experimentation wtihin the realm of low temperature welding-brazing-soldering. Fluxes, were developed to serve the customers' needs, as were many varying solder alloys and diameters.
The machinery necessary to manufacture Aladdin Rod had to be invented along the way. Fortunately, Michigan is blessed with talented tool and die craftsmen who responded eagerly to the challenge. Gordon and Roland were so well-versed in the properties and behaivor of the molten state of zinc-base metals, they could reason out many unanswered problems in the initial runs. In the ensuing years, the original design of teh equipment has been changed somewhat by consulting engineers, but the orginal concept has held up remarkably well.
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