Samsonite Corporation (1910-1973)
Biography
The Shwayder family of Denver, Colorado is best known for what became the world-famous luggage company Samsonite Corporation, which was founded and operated by the Shwayder family. In 1910, Jesse Shwayder opened a small luggage factory in Denver with his father, Isaac, and brothers, Mark, Maurice, Benjamin, and Solomon. In the year before opening the factory, Jesse worked as a salesman for the Seward Luggage New York City. The business became incorporated as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in 1912, and it eventually changed its name to Samsonite Corporation. All the Shwayder brothers held executive positions in the company in the 1920s. Jesse was the company's president, Mark Shwayder directed sales, Maurice and Ben Shwayder oversaw manufacturing, and Solomon Shwayder served as the company’s lawyer. Samson, after Jesse's favorite biblical hero, was the first trade name for the company’s luggage, and this was later changed to Samsonite. Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company started to diversify its product offerings in the 1930s by manufacturing folding furniture, and the company changed its name to Shwayder Brothers, Inc. in 1931. As sales increased throughout the 20th century, the company moved into gradually larger facilities in Denver, and at various stages in the business’ history, it opened additional plants in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Arizona, Mexico, and Japan. In 1961, Jesse Shwayder’s son, King D. Shwayder, became president of the company, and in 1965 the Shwayder Brothers, Inc., changed its name to Samsonite Corporation. The Shwayders sold the Samsonite Corporation in 1973.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Colorado Jewish Businesses, 1861-1979
File contains information on the history of Jewish businesses by Ken Bass (copy) covering the years from 1861 to 1979, as well as two copies of the Intermountain Jewish News, one from 1935 and one from 1937. The report by Ken Bass from 1979 is titled "The Story of Jewish Achievement" and covers "The Samsonite Story," "Star Bread Company's Story," "The Frankel Stationery Story," "The Central Electric Story," "The Guggenheim Story," and general "Observations."
Shwayder Family Papers and Samsonite Corporation Records
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