公司简介

1907年，斯坦利·斯维利克从波兰移民到埃利斯岛，当时他是一名16岁的“经济舱”乘客。他做过各种各样的工作，从房屋粉刷到销售保险和房地产，他发现了一个小的帆布和皮革制造公司，并在1920年9月同意收购它。帆布皮革专业公司成立于1920年10月9日，他的朋友和亲戚都是股东。第一批产品包括可折叠的篮子、高尔夫球袋、煤袋、猪肉卷外壳，还有一种预示着政府合同的未来——为美国邮政部门生产的皮邮袋。在我们博物馆展出的是第一批这种皮邮袋中的一个。由于当时的“谷仓风暴”飞行员激发了公众的想象力，该公司开始制造飞行员和机枪手腰带，设计飞行服装，并试验降落伞。在20世纪30年代，有了一个新的名字，斯维利克降落伞和设备公司成为全国最大的降落伞制造商。斯坦利是许多航空先驱的朋友，他为阿米莉亚·埃尔哈特、威利·波斯特和海军上将理查德·伯德的探险和纪录尝试提供装备。1934年，斯坦利·斯威利克和艾米莉亚·埃尔哈特的丈夫乔治·帕尔默·普特南成立了一家合资企业，在斯坦利位于海洋县的农场上建造了一座115英尺高的塔。1935年6月2日，埃尔哈特首次在公众场合从塔上跳伞，目的是训练飞行员跳伞。 Witnessed by a crowd of reporters and officials from the Army and Navy, she described the descent as "Loads of Fun!" As war clouds grew, the firm received its present name, Switlik Parachute Company, Inc. and became a part of the "Arsenal of Democracy." In December of 1941, a small nucleus of parachute manufacturers were called to a meeting and ordered by the Government to increase production 50-fold. Additional space was acquired and a large work force trained. The company's productivity was so impressive that the War Department gave it the first of five Army-Navy "E" Awards in 1942. At the climax of World War II, requirements dropped to zero and the company disposed of much of its parachute making machinery. This was not to last, in 1950, the Korean War began. Again, the Big Three of the parachute industry were called to form the nucleus of our nation's parachute production capacity. At the conclusion of the Korean War, our surplus equipment was put in "moth balls," to be used again during the Vietnam War. Today, the diversification of our products and markets and our continued willingness to change with the times insure Switlik Parachute Company's future.