Encyclopedia Dubuque
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LANGE, Robert B.: Difference between revisions
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[[File:langer2.jpg|200px|thumb|left|]]LANGE, Robert B. (Dubuque, IA, September 5, 1925 – June 15, 2000) | [[File:langer2.jpg|200px|thumb|left|]]LANGE, Robert B. (Dubuque, IA, September 5, 1925 – June 15, 2000) Robert Brookings Lange prior to enrolling at Harvard flew a P-38 for the U.S. Air Force. It was during his time at Harvard when Robert first took a liking to skiing. His foot was extra wide, however, and were too soft so he began re-enforcing them with fiberglass and polyester, the first attempt into plastic boots on record. | ||
After graduating, he worked at his family insurance company, Lange Insurance. A short time later he started the plastics company, the Lange Corporation, in the basement of the old [[BRUNSWICK-BALKE-COLLENDER COMPANY]] which failed during the [[GREAT DEPRESSION]]. | |||
In 1955 he received a contract from General Motors to make 30,000 fiberglass toy cars in the shape of the 1956 Corvette. In addition to the toy cars, he made other plastic products from refrigerator interiors, “chip and dip” trays, to hula-hoops. As a hobby, he experimented with fiberglass inserts for ski boots. | |||
It was in 1958 when he decided to make the first boot entirely out of plastic. In 1968, the same year Robert went public with the company, he sold 25,000 pairs of his ski boots, moved to Broomfield, Colorado, and patented the first self-aligning swivel post for buckle in ski boots. At the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble, 72% of the alpine ski competitors wore Lange boots and won five medals. | |||
See: [[LANGE PLASTICS COMPANY]] | See: [[LANGE PLASTICS COMPANY]] | ||
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Source: | |||
"Robert B. Lange," Linwood Legacies. Online: http://www.linwoodlegacies.org/robert-b-lange.html | |||
[[Category: Business Leader]] | [[Category: Business Leader]] | ||
Revision as of 18:48, 6 December 2015
LANGE, Robert B. (Dubuque, IA, September 5, 1925 – June 15, 2000) Robert Brookings Lange prior to enrolling at Harvard flew a P-38 for the U.S. Air Force. It was during his time at Harvard when Robert first took a liking to skiing. His foot was extra wide, however, and were too soft so he began re-enforcing them with fiberglass and polyester, the first attempt into plastic boots on record.
After graduating, he worked at his family insurance company, Lange Insurance. A short time later he started the plastics company, the Lange Corporation, in the basement of the old BRUNSWICK-BALKE-COLLENDER COMPANY which failed during the GREAT DEPRESSION.
In 1955 he received a contract from General Motors to make 30,000 fiberglass toy cars in the shape of the 1956 Corvette. In addition to the toy cars, he made other plastic products from refrigerator interiors, “chip and dip” trays, to hula-hoops. As a hobby, he experimented with fiberglass inserts for ski boots.
It was in 1958 when he decided to make the first boot entirely out of plastic. In 1968, the same year Robert went public with the company, he sold 25,000 pairs of his ski boots, moved to Broomfield, Colorado, and patented the first self-aligning swivel post for buckle in ski boots. At the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble, 72% of the alpine ski competitors wore Lange boots and won five medals.
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Source:
"Robert B. Lange," Linwood Legacies. Online: http://www.linwoodlegacies.org/robert-b-lange.html