Today is another glimpse into the industrial history of our fair city.
The Kelsey Wheel Company (later Kelsey Hayes) was opened in Windsor in November of 1913. It was the first plant to be unionized by the UAW in Canada. It closed down not too long after I moved to Windsor, in October, 1990.
From the New York Times archives:
COMPANY NEWS; Canada Closing Set By Kelsey-Hayes
AP
Published: Saturday, October 20, 1990A Kelsey-Hayes Canada Ltd. steel wheel plant in Windsor, Ontario, will be closed by the end of the month, resulting in the loss of about 450 hourly and salaried jobs, the company said. The company cited ”grave operational problems and mounting losses due to significant overcapacity in the steel wheels manufacturing industry.”
The equipment at the plant will be sold to its parent concern, the Kelsey-Hayes Company, based in Romulus Mich., for $8.5 million. Kelsey-Hayes Canada will continue making automobile brake components in Woodstock and St. Catharines, Ontario.
The plant pictured above in the ad dating from the mid-1950’s, was, and still is located on Howard Avenue. It is currently home to Veltri Metal Stamping. Although the have been some additions and demolitions over the last half century.
Anyone out there have any memories of the place to share?
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The Auto Pact guaranted prodution in Canada to keep jobs, their was a formula that US, and Canadian importes where controlled.This was quashed because the Japanes car makers could not be included, and called it unfair labour pratice. Try to sell North American products in Japan, they tax the life out of them.
The North America Free Trade Act, includes Canada, US, and Mexico,suppposedly to balance the playing field.
One of the people credited with the Auto Pact was Herb Gray.
NAFTA is killing us with Mexico in the mix. How is that a level playing field? Free trade with the USA was a stroke of genius as it will be with Europe (first world countries trading with first world countries).
Interesting to note that S. Korea has hardly a plant in N. America and yet...not a peep from N. America about those unfair trade practices.
The reference to a level playing field was sarcastic, Did you or any ccnsumers realy gain?
Free trade with the USA yes we did. Free trade with Mexico? Not one bit.
Does anyone know where the pensions for KH come from?????
I tell people nowadays I'm just a Canadian doing a Mexican's job at Mexican wages. Gone are the glory days of Windsor.
Does anyone know when Kelsey Hayes stopped making wire wheels?
A collections Canada photo of the Hayes plant in Chatham around 1920 http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/wm.php?img=http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a024580.jpg