Scope and Content

Of note in this collection

Series I: Administrative Records (1880-1981) Included in this series are the earlier founding documents, annual reports to the director's and share holders and corporate records for many of the companies that Goodrich purchased as part of its strategy to diversify. Also included in this series are the corporate records for companies that B.F. Goodrich Company purchased.

Series II: Advertising Records (1878-1972) Sub-series: Magazine and Newspaper advertising (1890-1972). During the 1920's Goodrich divided the ads by the type of product in the advertisement. First by general type i.e.: airplane, truck, passenger car etc. As associated brands were acquired their names appear such as Brunswick, Diamond, Hood, and Miller. Some years specific types of products are named such as Hycar, Koroseal, and Geon. Sub-series: Dealer Advertising and Sales (1886-1976) These are the sales programs, contests and advertising aids for the dealers. They are organized by company/brand (B.F. Goodrich Company's then Goodrich Chemical, Goodrich Industrial Products, Goodrich International, Brunswick, Diamond, Hood, and Miller.) The advertisements are then organized chronologically. This series also includes the data and price books used by dealers and retailers. Sub-series: Sales Division Records (1916-1968) This sub-series of records consists of materials relating to sales campaigns, training aids and manuals for sales staff, and a series of advertisement effectiveness reports from the 1940s. These files are organized alphabetically by the folder title.

Series III: Personnel Department Records (1881-1978) Sub-series: Goodrich Employees (1881-1978) This sub-series consists of files about Goodrich personnel who gave speeches, presentations, or published articles as company executives. It does not include the records or names of most of Goodrich's employees, for names of employees who worked in each department from 1960-1973 see the Organization charts. This sub-series is organized by the Employee's last name. Sub-series: Organization Charts (1960-1973) These are organization charts that B.F. Goodrich updated every six months to yearly. The Organization charts list the departments and the personnel, who supervised, managed, were assigned to them. These charts are from 1960-1973. All charts are organized chronologically. Sub-series: Personnel Department Subject Files (1907-1972) This sub-series include the files the of the personnel department from 1920 to 1972 with the bulk of the material from 1965 through 1972. It is organized alphabetically by folder title and includes material about workplace safety, wages, benefits, and some of the early company outings from the 1930s.

Series IV: Labor Relations (1913-1973) This series consists of material relating to negotiations between management and labor unions. Of note are the minutes of meetings negotiations for the 1945 agreement with the United Rubber, Cork, Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America and Goodrich. Also of note are the negotiations with United Rubber Workers Local #5 in the 1950s and Pattern Makers agreements from 1939-1972.

Series V: Legal Records (1871-1969) Of note in this collection are the Certificates of Trademark which provides evidence Goodrich's business dealings around the world. The letters of patent show the developments advanced by Goodrich. Sub-series: Certificates of Trademark (1902-1969) Certificates of Trademark are organized by alphabetically by Nation or territory then by date. Sub-series: Letters of Patent (1953-1956) The Letters Patent are organized first by country issuing the grant then chronologically with the patent number range and the date range of the grant of patent. Sub-series: Subject files (1871-1969) These files are organized alphabetically by the folder title.

Series VI: Public Relations Files (1910-1973) Sub-series: Department files (1912-1973) These files are the subject files from the public relations department. They include safety and retirement pamphlets, correspondence and public service booklets as well as booklets promoting the B.F. Goodrich Company and their products. Also included are papers from the former Goodrich archives. Sub-series: News Releases (1935-1973) The Goodrich news releases run chronologically one folder per year initially, as the B.F. Goodrich Company expanded after the forties so did the amount of news releases. From the mid fifties on the news releases are divided by division so 1958 will have a folder for Goodrich-Akron and another for Goodrich-Gulf Chemical, etc. Sub-series: Touring books and road maps (1910-1930) This sub-series includes the touring books and road maps that Goodrich published in connection with the Goodrich Touring Bureau.

Series VII: Research and Development (1906-1969) Sub-series: Laboratory Notes (1905-1932). These are the laboratory research notes of the chemists that worked for Goodrich. They are generally organized chronologically by the chemists who took the notes. For example George Oenslager's research and lab notes date from 1905-1922, next is John Young's research and lab notes from 1912-1914, then F.H. Martin's research from 1915-1918. Sub-series: Research Reports (1918-1967). This sub-series includes annual research reports on the type and progress of the B.F. Goodrich laboratories. Bound volumes of research problems and their progress reports are available for 1922-1953 [see shelf list for R&D bound volumes]. Sub-series: Subject Files (1908-1967). This sub-series is composed of various files relating to Research and Development at B.F. Goodrich. Sub-series: Technical Articles by Goodrich Employees (1922-1969). This sub-series is organized by author of the article.

Series VIII: Product Information (1890-1972) This series is divided into seven sub-series relating to Goodrich's product lines. Each sub-series provide general information about the materials used or the types of products and their uses. Sub-series: Automotive (1911-1966) This small sub-series is composed of material reflecting Goodrich's contribution to America's interest in the automobile. Sub-series: Aviation (1934-1966) This sub-series consists of material about the products developed and produced for airplanes such as tires, slides, de-icers and products for high altitude and space flight such as pressure suit and space suit development. Sub-series: Koroseal (1938-1967) This sub-series is composed of material about the development of Koroseal and the various products that B.F. Goodrich used it for. Sub-series: Rubber (1890-1968) This sub-series consists of articles, pamphlets, speeches, and presentations about the history of rubber and its uses in industry and manufacturing. Sub-series: Synthetic Rubber (1938-1970) This sub-series includes articles and information relating to the development and use of man-made rubber. Sub-series: Tires (1917-1972) this sub-series includes articles about various types of tires such as cord tires, seal-o-matics, pneumatic tires, farm tires, tire care and increasing the life of a tire, tire history, and reports on various road tests. Sub-series: Tubeless Tires (1919-1964) this sub-series includes articles and newspaper clippings about the history and use of tubeless tires.

Series IX: Printed Material (1909-1981) This series is comprised of material printed about the B.F. Goodrich Company. Of note in this series are the Company histories and Periodicals produced by the company. Sub-series: Company Histories (1909-1968) This small sub-series consists of drafts and copies of company histories by and about the B.F. Goodrich Company. Sub-series: Company Periodicals (1912-1981) This sub-series consists of the periodicals published by B.F. Goodrich Company for their employees and stock-holders. Sub-series: Newspapers and Magazine Articles about B.F. Goodrich (1915-1973) This series consists of articles about the B.F. Goodrich Company.

Series X: Audiovisual Material (1870- 1980) This series is comprised of five sub-series dependent on the format of the material. Sub-series: Photographs (1870-1975) This sub-series contains photographs of, by and about the Goodrich company and their products. It is organized by subject arranged alphabetically. Sub-series: Personnel Photographs (1870-1978) This sub-series include photographs and/or negatives of individuals who were associated with B.F. Goodrich Company. Several celebrities who the Goodrich Company may have sponsored are included. Sub-series: Slides (1948-1951) This sub-series is composed of slides made for presentations. Of note in this sub-series are the slides of the tire manufacturing process circa 1951. Subseries: Scrapbooks & Photo albums (1870-1961) Sub-series: Filmstrips and Film (1935-1980) Filmstrips were an early form of multi-media instruction whereby a 35mm filmstrip was synchronized with an audio recording. At a tone the film projector operator would advance to the next image on the filmstrip. Sub-series: Radio (1940-1945) This sub-series contains scripts for the Goodrich Baseball Broadcast Announcements and The Meaning of the News radio spots.

Series XI: Financial Records (1868-1990) This series is comprised of three sub-series relating to the financial activities of the Company. Subject files, Departmental Organization Charts and Oversized material. Sub-series: Subject Files (1870-1984) This sub-series consists of material that was kept with the financial departments. Of note is the Articles of Partnership between B.F. Goodrich, Harvey W. Tew, and Henry S. Sanderson. Also a description of financial situation of the Hudson River Rubber Company to Akron businessmen prior to the founding of the Goodrich, Tew & Company in 1870. Sub-series: Departmental Organization Charts (1932-1990) This sub-series includes the departmental organization charts used for accounting purposes. Of note are the Controllers' office copy of the charts that have hand written notes and memos included with the charts. Sub-series: Oversized Material (1868-1961) This sub-series includes Accounting Journals, Ledgers and other financial documents that are oversized.

Series XII: Artifacts