Old Newspaper StoriesOld PhotographsWindsor

L.A. Young Industries

Yesterday WRG commented on the Chrysler photo with the following:

    I looked quickly at Chrysler Canada’s history (again at the allpar) site, and in ’64 Chrysler acquired L. A. Young Spring & Wire Limited and the Walker Metal Products foundry both in Windsor… That being said, I have never heard of, or even heard reference to L. A. Young Spring & Wire.

So here we go with another chapter in Windsor’s Industrial Past:

From “The Border Cities Star” November 8, 1927:

    Four additions in two years, at a cost of $213,000, is the record of the L.A. Young Industries of Canada, Limited, one of the Border’s fastest growing manufacturing plants. The fourth addition is now going up and when completed it will give the firm an extra floor space of 12,800 square feet.

    This firm holds an enviable position among Border industries, and its plant on McDougall Street, when provided with the addition now being built, will give employment to between 400 and 500 people. The company’s original plant – the old Ideal Spring factory – represented a cost in the neighbourhood of $600,000 when this factory and the Leggett and Platt bed spring industry were amalgamated in 1925. Since then the firm has made great strides, and as evidence of its faith in the future of the Border Cities the latest unit stands as ample proof of the manufacturing importance of this part of Ontario.

The company got its start in Windsor in 1911 with three employees, making mattresses. It was started by C.E. Platt. In 1925 it was purchased and merged with the Idea Fence and Spring Co. by L.A. Young Industries of Detroit.

The building is still there on McDougall Ave. between Ellis & Shepperd.

Here’s an aerial view of the plant, sorry… Microsoft Virtual Earth doesn’t have a photo of the front available… Judging from the rendering at the top, and the photo above, it looks like the plant was expanded again after that along the Ellis side…

Also Leggett & Platt are still around today. In fact they even still have an Automotive Plant in the Windsor area.

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