- Reynolds Metals
Infobox Defunct Company
company_name = Reynolds Metals Company
company_
company_type = Metals, Aluminium
fate = Acquired
defunct = 2000
foundation = 1919
location = Richmond,Virginia ,United States
key_people =
area_served =
industry =Aluminum
products =building productsfastenings
castingsaluminum foil automobile parts
rolled aluminum
milled aluminum
revenue =
operating_income =
num_employees = 30,800 (1991)
parent =
subsid =
homepage =
footnotes =
successor =Alcoa Reynolds Metals Company (RMC) was the second largest
aluminum company in theUnited States , and the third largest in the world. The company became well-known for the consumer productReynolds Wrap as well as being a leader in developing and promoting new uses for aluminum; its RV "Aluminaut " submarine was operated byReynolds Marine Services . [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/aluminaut.htm] . Headquartered for most of its existence inRichmond, Virginia , it was acquired byAlcoa in June 2000.History
The Reynolds Metals Company was founded in 1919 as the U.S. Foil Company in
Louisville, Kentucky byRichard S. Reynolds, Sr. , a nephew of tobacco kingR. J. Reynolds . Initially, the new company supplied lead and tin foil wrappers to cigarette and candy companies. In 1924, the U.S. Foil purchased the manufacturer ofEskimo Pie s, which were wrapped in foil. In 1928, Reynolds purchased Robertshaw Thermostat, Fulton Sylphon, and part of Beechnut Foil, adding them to U.S. Foil to create Reynolds Metals. In 1931 the company headquarters was moved toNew York City and in 1938 the headquarters was moved again to Richmond,Virginia .The company began producing
aluminum foil for packaging in 1926. Reynolds Metals created the first high-speed, gravure-printed foil, aluminum bottle labels, heat-sealed foil bags for foods and foil-laminated building insulation paper. In 1940 Reynolds Metals began miningbauxite (aluminum ore) inArkansas and opened its first aluminum plant nearSheffield ,Alabama , the following year. In 1947, the company came up with its most famous creation, Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil, which sells extraordinarily well in supermarkets all over the world today and transformed food storage everywhere. Meanwhile, Reynolds Metals pioneered the development of aluminum siding in 1945, and Richard S. Reynolds began predicting a growing demand for additional aluminum during peacetime. He knew it wouldn't take long before new aluminum-producing facilities would need to be built to meet demand. Reynolds Metals Company leased, and later bought, six government defense plants that were up for disposal. Reynolds later expanded into non aluminum products such as plastics and precious metals, introducing Reynolds Plastic Wrap in 1982.Four sons of founder Richard S. Reynolds,
William Gray Reynolds ,Richard S. Reynolds, Jr. ,David P. Reynolds , andJ. Louis Reynolds , were all part of the running of the business. Richard S. Reynolds, Jr. succeeded his father as president in 1948 and under his leadership, the company underwent a major expansion with operations extended to countries around the world such asVenezuela and thePhilippines . In 1976 David P. Reynolds, also known for his involvement in Thoroughbred horse racing, took over as president. He was the last member of his family to head the company and would retire as its Chairman.Reynolds Metals was a pioneer in research and development of other products less well-known to the public. Not all became commercially viable for the company, such as an aluminum bus developed with ROHR Industries, and other aluminum motor vehicles, where weight advantages were literally and cost-wise surpassed by steel, plastics and fiberglass. However, when it developed the world's first aluminum submarine, dubbed "Aluminaut", the result was both an experimental product and one which participated in important work. In 1969, "Aluminaut" rescued "
Alvin (DSV-2) ", a smaller submersible of a newer design which continues its work 35 years later.By 1991, Reynolds Metals employed 30,800 workers at more than 100 operations in 20 countries, including 64 plants in the United States, and had a total production capacity of more than 1 million tons of aluminum and aluminum products. The company merged with
Alcoa on May 3, 2000 to become the largest aluminum company in the United States.Headquarters of aluminum
Reynolds' former headquarters building near
Richmond, Virginia inHenrico County , built in1958 , is one of the finest modernist buildings by the architectGordon Bunshaft ofSkidmore Owings & Merrill . During its use by Reynolds, the Executive Building was known asReynolds EXO . It was named to theNational Register of Historic Places , one the rare late 20th century buildings on the list. [http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Henrico/043-0242_Reynolds_Metals_Co_Intl_Headquarters_2000_Final_Nomination.pdf] [ [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/VA/Henrico/state.html National Register properties in Henrico County, VA] Properties are generally eligible for inclusion 50 years after construction. ] Made almost entirely ofaluminum , down to threads in the carpeting, it is now owned by theUniversity of Richmond and serves as the worldwide headquarters ofPhilip Morris USA .Consumer products
The company became well-known for the consumer product
Reynolds Wrap . When Alcoa purchased Reynolds, it preserved the Reynolds consumer brand, as well as the Reynolds Kitchens, which are still across the street from the former Reynolds headquarters building. Alcoa's Reynolds division is a leader in household baking and cooking products; a sister product to Reynolds Wrap is Cut-Rite Wax paper. On January 31 2008 the Reynolds Consumer business was sold toGraeme Hart and is now operated as part ofReynolds Packaging Group [ [http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/news/news_detail.asp?pageID=20080229005514en&newsYear=2008 Alcoa: News: News Releases: Alcoa Completes Sale of Packaging and Consumer Businesses To New Zealand's Rank Group ] ] . On September 21, 2008, It was announced that the foil plant that produces Reynolds Wrap, located in downtown Richmond Virginia, will be closingReferences
External links
* [http://www.cbre.com/USA/US/VA/Richmond/Case+Studies/reynoldsmetal.htm Case Study on Headquarters]
* [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/aluminaut.htm Aluminaut at Science Museum of Virginia]
* [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/aluminaut.htm HNSA Web Page: RV Alumninaut]
* [http://www.richmondcitywatch.com/lr_reynolds_hq.php Building information]
* [http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/home.asp Reynolds Kitchens Website]
* [http://www.gatewayva.com/biz/virginiabusiness/magazine/yr2006/may06/lookback.shtml A Look Back] - company history
* [http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/16/Reynolds-Metals-Company.html A history of Reynolds Metal at NetIndustries, LLC]
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