Fergie's Tech Blog

12 March 1831: Happy Birthday, Clement Studebaker

Via Wikipedia.

Clement Studebaker (March 12, 1831 – 1901) was an American carriage manufacturer. With his brothers, he founded Studebaker, which built wagons, carriages, and automobiles in South Bend, Indiana.

Studebaker experimented with motor vehicles as early as 1897, choosing electric over gasoline powered engines. The company entered into a distribution agreement with Everett-Metzger-Flanders (E-M-F) Company of Detroit; E-M-F would manufacture vehicles and the Studebakers would distribute them through their wagon dealers.

Problems with E-M-F made the cars unreliable leading the public to say that E-M-F stood for "Every Morning Fix-it". J.M. Studebaker, unhappy with E-M-F's poor quality, gained control of the assets and plant facilities in 1910. To remedy the damage done by E-M-F, Studebaker paid mechanics to visit each unsatisfied owner and replace the defective parts in their vehicles at a cost of US$1 million to the company.

Much more here.

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posted by Fergie @ 3/11/2006 10:01:00 PM