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Preston, Ontario seems to have been a hive of manufacturing at one time, and Butler Metal Products was one of the town's industries. The company made blowtorches under their own name, as well as for Coleman Canada. Apparently, they sometimes also used the name "Butler Stampings and Machine Screws Ltd.," an example of which has found its way into the Owaka Museum in New Zealand! As gasoline blowtorches gave way to propane torches, the company turned to other products. In the 1970's they trademarked the name "Sno-Butler" for a snow shovel they made. Cute. The last information I can find on them is a notice that in 1989 they were employing 700 people in Cambridge and Delhi, Ontario making metal stampings for the auto industry. That year the company was sold for $34 million to five senior plant managers and a Quebec equity corporation. After that, they vanish, at least under the Butler name.
So now I know that I have a gasoline torch. Is there any value to the one with the plunger?
ReplyDeleteBulter metal closed down in the late 90’s. There building is still there. They were a big place from what I have been told and the union couldn’t do anything to stop the place from closing. A lot of company’s in the 90’s in this town closed up shop and opened in Mexico were it was cheaper.
ReplyDeleteButler metals before closing, was a division of Oxford Automotive.Oxford closed down all it's North American plants to concentrate on Europe. It did have plants world wide including Mexico.Principle owner was Selwyn Isakow.Oxford self imploded too.
ReplyDeleteWow, didn't expect to stumble upon THIS story when I searched the name of the collapsible "mini snow shovel" included in a lot of old, generally upper quality tools I recently purchased from a widow here in West Palm Beach, Florida!
ReplyDeleteI just came across a set of copper drink coasters stamped Butler metal products co. ltd. cambridge onr. canada
ReplyDeletedoes anyone know anything about them?
Ely
I have some stuff f those too from when both my grandfather and uncle used to work there (both worked there for 44/45 years).
DeleteHi, sounds like they could be promotional items? If you send some images to me at gerald@vanwyngaarden.ca I'll add them to the post.
ReplyDeleteMy father worked at butler metals for years. He drew a gigantic picture of the titanic that hung up in the shop
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a picture of that!
ReplyDeleteI worked at Butler briefly in 1999, my Dad worked there from 1985 until it closed in 2001 (I believe that was the year). When I was there, we were making parts for Chrysler, GM and Saturn. Miss that place, big part of my life either working there or growing up with a parent there….
ReplyDeleteBy the time I was there, it was Oxford Automotive
DeleteAre you still living in the area?
DeleteButler Metal Products starting out making blow torches after the War in Preston. They had a factory down by the Grand River. They then bought some large machines from a factory in Hamilton and opened a Factory off King Street in Preston. They started making Metal Control arms for cars. They expanded once more into a factory my Dad designed over on Eagle Street in Preston with much larger machines . This was the height of Butler Metal production wise. My Dad W.C. Black at that time was the Vice President Of The Company. It all went down hill when a British firm purchased Butlers. The new owners wanted all the older employees to be let go and my Dad refused to fire them and he retired as Vice President Of Butler Metals. He then enjoyed a fourty year retirement after leaving Butlers . Actually my Grandfather C.T. Black started Butlers with Bill Butler . My Grandfathers job was head accountant for. Butlers......they also eventually got into the plastics business we still have a couple of the proto type snow shovels they made.
ReplyDeleteThat’s Interesting. Although, I personally don’t know much about the place, both my grandfather and uncle both worked at Butlers Metals for 44/45 years (my uncle up until the closure of it, as he was just retiring). I have an old newspaper clipping of a smaller shop(also a part of Butler Metals)that opened up on Dolph Street (where Preston Plastics now is) and my grandfather was the founder of that place. I don’t believe it was there too long though; maybe a few years. I remember he would come home with what we used as coasters.
DeleteThank you for the first hand information. When these companies close, all the personal stories disappear too.
ReplyDelete