The Ward M. Canaday Center

for Special Collections

The University of Toledo

Finding Aid

Acklin Stamping Company Records, 1911-1997

MSS-139

Size: 12 linear feet (plus oversize)

Provenance: received from Bruce Pohl of Tecumseh Products Company, Acklin Stamping Division

Access: open

Related Collections:  Toledo Angola and Western Railroad, MSS-102;  Libbey-Owens-Ford Records, MSS-066;

Processing Note:

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns.  Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by:   Benjamin Grillot, Fall 1999.  Inventory corrected February 2008 by Timothy Fritz

Historical Sketch

In1911, Grafton Molen Acklin, manager of the Toledo Machine and Tool Company, decided to resign from that position and go into business with his three sons - James M., Donald R. and William Collord.  Together they opened the Acklin Stamping Company, a Tool and Die Factory, on the 1600 block of Dorr Street.  By 1925 the business had outgrown the facilities on Dorr Street and a new factory was constructed at 1925 Nebraska Avenue.  The new factory was considered one of the largest and finest factories in Toledo.  During this period the company stamped Automotive Parts, parts for Vending Machines, Fuse Socket Holders, and Lawn Mowers.  Grafton Molen Acklin passed away on December 17th, 1926, leaving the company in the hands of his son - James.

In1925 the plant moved from Dorr Street to a 1925 Nebraska Avenue. The new plant, with its 90,000 square feet was one of the largest in the country. During the depression the company suffered cutbacks, but was able to remain in business, unlike several of its competitors. James Acklin died tragically in a car accident in 1936, leaving control of the company to his brother William. In 1937 the plant was Unionized by a 96% majority vote in a National Labor Review Board election.

In1939 William Acklin passed away and the company was transferred to three Acklin Executives -- Mr. Greenhill, Mr. Graper, and Mr. Beeman, with Mr. Graper taking over the Presidents title. During the late 1930's Acklin began producing depth charges and other munitions for the British and Swedish governments. When America entered the war Acklin became an important production facility for 75mm, 40mm, and 20mm shell casings, gun mounts, and even parts for the atomic bomb.

Following the war Acklin's production became increasingly geared to the production of compressor housings for Tecumseh Products, housings that were used in the booming refrigeration and air conditioning business. The cyclic economic difficulties involved in these businesses made things increasingly difficult for Acklin, until in 1952 Acklin was purchased by Tecumseh Products. In 1954 Acklin formally became a Division of Tecumseh Products and for the next 44 years would produce the bulk of compressor housings used by Tecumseh Products.

In1999, Tecumseh Products, following failed contract negotiations, closed the Acklin Stamping Division. The doors never closed completely though thanks to a young entrepreneur - Howard Ice. Purchasing the company from Tecumseh and retaining roughly 30 employees, Mr. Ice continues to stamp compressor housings for Tecumseh products, but is also aggressively pursuing other contracts and opportunities, hoping to revive and expand Acklin Stamping for the future.

Scope and Content Note

The Acklin Stamping Company Records is divided into six primary series: Administrative Materials, Blueprints and Die Drawings, Ephemera, Financial Materials, Photographs, Negatives and Videotapes, Printed Materials.  A seventh series contains Oversize Materials which includes items from each of the previous series.

The first series, Administrative Materials contains the following subseries: Assessments, Correspondence, Manuals, Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Production Orders, and Retirement Materials.

Assessments consist of studies performed by external organizations in order to determine Acklin's status. Included in this subseries is a Production Study conducted by the U.S. Government determining Acklin's readiness to produce Case Cartridges, as well as an Employee Survey conducted in 1992. The correspondence in this collection is spotty at best, and comes from the years 1970, 1992-1993. The manuals include a Procedure Manual given to new employees created in 1939, as well as a service manual and a Manual received at a 1950's Leadership Conference. Obsolete Tool Dispositions are the records of parts made for various companies and are arranged Alphabetically by company. Production Orders are orders received from various companies and are also arranged Alphabetically by company. Retirement Materials includes correspondence dealing with the Acklin Pension and Retirement Fund, as well as a scrapbook containing photographs and ephemera from retiring employees.

The second series, Blueprints, contains drawings of the layout of the plant.

The third series, Ephemera, includes various pieces of memorabilia, including a guest book from the 1997 Open House, C.F. Greenhill's Society of Automotive Engineers Certificate, as well as Mr. Greenhill's scrapbook (which contains a 1918 recipe for Apricot Brandy!).

Financial Materials, documenting the economic health of the company, make up the fourth series. Included in this series are Cash Books, Journals, Ledgers, Purchase Registers, Reports and Stock Certificates.

The extensive amounts of photographs, negatives and videotape contained in this collection are organized under series five. The photographs are divided into four primary categories -- Building, Machinery, People, and Products, and two smaller categories -- Safety, and World War II Production. Within each category the photographs are divided according to size, and separated according to color or black and white. The criteria for selection into each category was importance -- If machinery seemed to be the most important thing in the photograph, it was placed in the machinery category, even if there were also people in the photograph. The negatives are divided into the six categories as well, one folder per category. In addition, two videotapes are housed in the collection, dating from an open house held in 1997, the first of which documents the events of the party held at the Open House, and shows a tour of the plants' facilities. The second documents a "museum" created at the Open house, including many of the historical materials now housed in this collection.

Organizational Outline

S1. Administrative Materials

            Assessments

            Correspondence

            Manuals

            Obsolete Tool Dispositions

            Production Orders

            Retirement Materials

 

S2. Blueprints and Die Drawings

            Blueprints

            Die Drawings - Obsolete Tracings (c. 1940's - 1950's)

            Die Drawings - Active and Obsolete - Compressors (c. 1960's)

 

S3. Ephemera

 

S4. Financial Materials

            Cash Books

            Journals

            Ledgers

            Purchase Register

            Reports

            Stock Certificates

 

S5. Photographs, Negatives and Videotape

            Photographs - Building

            Photographs - Machinery

            Photographs - People

            Photographs - Products

            Photographs - Safety

            Photographs - WWII

            Negatives

            Video Tapes

 

S6. Printed Materials

            Brochures

            News Clippings

            Newspapers - Acklin Press

            Newspapers - Other

 

S7. Oversize Materials

 

Folder List

Box

Folder

Arrangement

 

 

 

 

 

S1. Administrative Materials

 

 

 

 

 

Assessments

4

-

Production Study for the Manufacture of Case Cartridges, 1940 (1 of 2)

4

-

Production Study for the Manufacture of Case Cartridges, 1940 (2 of 2)

1

3

Survey of Employees, 1992

 

 

 

 

 

Correspondence

1

4

Correspondence, 1970, 1992-1993

 

 

 

 

 

Manuals

1

5

Management Leadership Conference Manual, n.d. (c. 1950's)

1

6

Procedure Manual, 1949

1

7

Service Manual - Hermetic Compressor, 1995

 

 

 

 

 

Obsolete Tool Dispositions

1

8

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, A, 1940-1957 (1 of 3)

1

9

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, A, 1940-1957 (2 of 3)

1

10

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, A, 1940-1957 (3 of 3)

1

11

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, B, 1940-1956 (1 of 3)

1

12

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, B, 1940-1956 (2 of 3)

1

13

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, B, 1940-1956 (2 of 3)

1

14

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Bendix Corporation, 1940-1956 (1 of 2)

1

15

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Bendix Corporation, 1940-1956 (2 of 2)

1

16

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C, 1941-1954 (1 of 3)

1

17

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C, 1941-1954 (2 of 3)

1

18

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C, 1941-1954 (3 of 3)

2

1

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C-D, 1940-1956 (1 of 3)

2

2

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C-D, 1940-1956 (2 of 3)

2

3

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, C-D, 1940-1956 (3 of 3)

2

4

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, D-E, 1940-1956 (1 of 3)

2

5

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, D-E, 1940-1956 (2 of 3)

2

6

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, D-E, 1940-1956 (3 of 3)

2

7

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, F-J, 1940-1956 (1 of 4)

2

8

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, F-J, 1940-1956 (2 of 4)

2

9

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, F-J, 1940-1956 (3 of 4)

2

10

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, F-J, 1940-1956 (4 of 4)

2

11

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, K-M, 1940-1956 (1 of 3)

2

12

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, K-M, 1940-1956 (2 of 3)

2

13

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, K-M, 1940-1956 (3 of 3)

2

14

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Michigan Leather, 1940-1965 (1 of 3)

2

15

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Michigan Leather, 1940-1965 (2 of 3)

2

16

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Michigan Leather, 1940-1965 (3 of 3)

2

17

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, N-S, 1940-1956 (1 of 4)

2

18

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, N-S, 1940-1956 (2 of 4)

2

19

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, N-S, 1940-1956 (3 of 4)

2

20

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, N-S, 1940-1956 (4 of 4)

3

1

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, S-T, 1940-1956 (1 of 4)

3

2

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, S-T, 1940-1956 (2 of 4)

3

3

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, S-T, 1940-1956 (3 of 4)

3

4

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, S-T, 1940-1956 (4 of 4)

3

5

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1940-1956 (1 of 2)

3

6

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1940-1956 (2 of 2)

3

7

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1940-1972

3

8

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1954-1980 (1 of 4)

3

9

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1954-1980 (2 of 4)

3

10

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1954-1980 (3 of 4)

3

11

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, Tecumseh Products, 1954-1980 (4 of 4)

3

12

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, U-Z, 1944-1971 (1 of 3)

3

13

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, U-Z, 1944-1971 (2 of 3)

3

14

Obsolete Tool Dispositions, U-Z, 1944-1971 (3 of 3)

 

 

 

 

 

Production Orders

3

15

Production Orders, Obsolete, 1958-1985 (1 of 2)

3

16

Production Orders, Obsolete, 1958-1985 (2 of 2)

3

17

Production Orders, A-T (largely Tecumseh Products), 1965-1979 (1 of 3)

3

18

Production Orders, A-T (largely Tecumseh Products), 1965-1979 (2 of 3)

3

19

Production Orders, A-T (largely Tecumseh Products), 1965-1979 (3 of 3)

 

 

 

 

 

Retirement Materials

3

20

Retirement Materials, Correspondence re: Pension, 1957-1992 (1 of 2)

3

21

Retirement Materials, Correspondence re: Pension, 1957-1992 (2 of 2)

3

22

Retirement Materials, Scrapbook, 1995 & n.d. (1 of 2)

3

23

Retirement Materials, Scrapbook, 1995 & n.d. (2 of 2)

 

 

 

1

36

S2. Blueprints

 

 

 

 

 

S3. Ephemera

1

37

Ephemera, Golf Outings, 1992  & n.d.

1

38

Ephemera, Various, n.d.

1

39

Open House Guest Book, 1997

1

40

Freight Bill Receipts

1

41

Scrapbook, Correspondence and loose papers from, n.d. (c. 1918-1924)

10

-

Scrapbook, C.F. Greenhill, n.d. (c. 1918-1924)


 

 

S4. Financial Materials

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Books

12

-

Cash Book 1911-1915

17

-

Cash Book, 1923-1938

 

 

 

 

 

Journals

11

-

Journal 1911-1914

14

-

Journal, 1923-1938

 

 

 

 

 

Ledgers

16

-

Ledger, 1911-1915

9

-

Account Leger, 1915

6

16

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Assets (1 of 2)

6

    17

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Assets (2 of 2)

6

18

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Liabilities

6

19

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Profit and Loss, Revenues and Costs

6

20

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Manufacturing Expenses (1 of 2)

6

21

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Manufacturing Expenses (2 of 2)

6

22

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Commercial Expenses

6

23

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Sundry Debtors and Creditors (1 of 3)

6

24

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Sundry Debtors and Creditors (2 of 3)

6

25

General Ledger, 1916-1932, Sundry Debtors and Creditors (3 of 3)

5

-

Payroll Ledgers, On 8 Rolls of Microfilm, 1923-1951

13

-

Stockholder's Ledger, 1927-1946

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase Register

19

-

Purchase Register, 1911-1914

19

-

Purchase Register, 1911-1914

 

 

 

 

 

Reports

6

26

Actuarial Report, 1950

6

27

Reports to Stockholders, 1977-1979

 

 

 

 

 

Stock Certificates

8

-

Bound Stock Certificates, 1924-1937

8

-

Bound Stock Certificates, 1946-1949

8

-

Bound Stock Certificates, 1949-1955

 

 

 

 

 

S5. Photographs, Negatives and Videotape

 

 

          -See Also S7. Oversize Materials for Photos

 

 

 

 

 

Building

6

1

Photographs, Building, B&W, Aerial 1946, 1950, 1953, 1969, 1971

6

2

Photographs, Building, B&W, Const - Acklin Metal, Bedford In, 1950

6

3

Photographs, Building, B&W, Exterior, 1925, 1940 & n.d.

6

4

Photographs, Building, Color, Exterior, 1983-1992 & n.d.

6

5

Photographs, Building, B&W, Interior, 1940, 1970 & n.d.

 

 

 

 

 

Machinery

6

6

Photographs, Machinery, 8x10, B&W, n.d. (c. 1920's - 1960's) (1 of 2)

6

7

Photographs, Machinery, 8x10, B&W, n.d. (c. 1920's - 1960's) (2 of 2)

6

8

Photographs, Machinery, 8x10, B&W, n.d. (Numbered, with descriptions)

6

9

Photographs, Machinery, Small, B&W, n.d. (c. 1920's -1970's)

6

10

Photographs, Machinery, Color, n.d.

6

11

Photographs, Machinery, Proof Sheets

 

 

 

 

 

People

6

12

Photographs, People, 8x10, B&W, At Work, n.d. (c. 1930's-1960's)

6

13

Photographs, People, 8x10, B&W, Formal Group Shots, (c. 1940's-1960's)

6

14

Photographs, People, 8x10, B&W, Informal Group Shots, (c. 1940's-60's)

6

15

Photographs, People, B&W, Portraits, c. 1940's 1980's

7

1

Photographs, People, Small, B&W, n.d. (c. 1930's - 1990's) (1 of 2)

7

2

Photographs, People, Small, B&W, n.d. (c. 1930's - 1990's) (2 of 2)

7

3

Photographs, People, Polaroids, n.d. (c. 1970's - 1990's)

7

4

Photographs, People, Small, Color, n.d. (c. 1960's - 1990's) (1 of 2)

7

5

Photographs, People, Small, Color, n.d. (c. 1960's - 1990's) (2 of 2)

7

6

Photographs, People, Color, Golf Outings, 1989-1994 & n.d.

7

7

Photographs, People, Miscellaneous, 1991 & n.d.

 

 

 

 

 

Products

7

8

Photographs, Products, 8x10, B&W, Advertising, n.d.

7

9

Photographs, Products, B&W, Compressor Housings,(c. 1960's-1990's)

7

10

Photographs, Products, B&W, Raw Materials, n.d

7

11

Photographs, Products, 8x10, B&W, Various Stampings, (1 of 4)

7

12

Photographs, Products, 8x10, B&W, Various Stampings, (2 of 4)

7

13

Photographs, Products, 8x10, B&W, Various Stampings, (3 of 4)

7

14

Photographs, Products, 8x10, B&W, Various Stampings, (4 of 4)

7

15

Photographs, Products, Small, B&W, Various Stampings (1 of 2)

7

16

Photographs, Products, Small, B&W, Various Stampings (2 of 2)

 

 

 

 

 

Safety

7

17

Photographs, Safety, B&W, n.d.

 

 

 

 

 

World War II Production

7

18

Photographs, WWII, World War II Productions - 75mm Shells, 1943

 

 

 

 

 

Negatives

7

19

Negatives, Building, n.d.

7

20

Negatives, Booths at Metal Show, n.d.

7

21

Negatives, Machinery, n.d.

7

22

Negatives, People, n.d. (1 of 2)

7

23

Negatives, People, n.d. (2 of 2)

7

24

Negatives, Products

7

25

Negatives, World War II

 

 

 

 

 

Video Tapes

7

26

Open House 1997 (2 tapes)

 

 

 

 

 

S6. Printed Materials

 

 

 

 

 

Brochures

1

1

Brochures, Company Information, 1949-1995

1

2

Brochures, Product Information, 1997

 

 

 

 

 

Newsclippings

1

19

Newsclippings Re: Acklin Stamping, 1947-1991 & n.d.

1

20

Newsclippings Re: Industry, 1930-1945 & n.d.

 

 

 

 

 

Newspapers - Acklin Press

18

-

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Issues, 1947-1984 (Complete Run)

 

 

 

1

21

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs Nov-Dec 1982

1

22

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Jan-Mar 1983

1

23

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Mar 1983

1

24

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Apr-Jul 1983

1

25

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Dec 1983

1

26

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Sep-Nov, 1983

1

27

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Dec 1984

1

28

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Apr 1984

1

29

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, May-Sept 1984

1

30

Newspapers, Acklin Press, Proofs, Misc. n.d.

 

 

 

 

 

Newspapers - Other

1

31

Newspapers, Other, Marion News, 1982

1

32

Newspapers, Other, Somerset Hotline, 1982-1994

1

33

Newspapers, Other, Taylor Echoes, 1983-1984

1

34

Newspapers, Other, TP Broadcast, Tecumseh Herald, 1983-1989

1

35

Newspapers, Other, Various, 1990-1993

 

 

 

 

 

S7. Oversize Materials

15

-

Photographs, Unframed, Portrait (A.E. Seeman?) n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Unframed, 25 Year Club Dinner, 1956

15

-

Photographs, Unframed, Building, 1930

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Building - Aerial, 1969

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Machinery, Color, n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Portrait, Color, n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Product - Compressor - AB Unit, n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Product - Compressor - AG Unit, n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Product - Compressor - AH Unit, n.d

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Product - Compressor - AK Unit, n.d.

15

-

Photographs, Framed, Product - Compressor - AV Unit, n.d.

 

 

 

15

-

Framed Letter from War Department, 1945

 

 

Last Updated: 6/27/22