The Hagley Library holds a significant collection of films related to a variety of 20th century manufacturing processes. The links below provide a sampling of just a few of these films. For more information, contact us at research@hagley.org
Clip reel of manufacturing film at the Hagley Library
Full versions of the films from the How It Was Made clip reel:
Making Nitrocellulose: The Story of Nitrocellulose (Hercules Powder Company, c.1930)
Making Sheet Steel: Romance of Iron and Steel (Republic Steel, 1938)
Making Rayon: Industrial Ohio (Standard Oil of Ohio, 1938)
Making Truck Tires: A Name You Can Trust in Rubber (Seiberling Rubber Company, 1947)
Making Packaging: The Winning Combination (Milprint, Inc., 1959)
Making Plastic Molds: Heart of the Plastics Industry (DuPont Company, c. 1962)
Making Fiber Glass Boats: Molded Fiber Glass Boats (Molded Fiber Glass Corporation, 1963)
Making Computers: Tour of UNIVAC, Clearwater, Florida Plant (Sperry Corporation, UNIVAC Division, 1975)
Additional Manufacturing films from the Hagley:
Making Silver Goods: Gotham Manufacturing Works (1926)
Making Bathroom Fixtures: Designs for Better Living (Briggs Manufacturing Company, 1938)
Making Products with Chemicals: A New World Through Chemistry (Dupont Company, 1939)
Making Potato Chips: Thank You, Mr. Chips (National Potato Chip Institute, 1947)
Making Dynamite: Potomac River Works (DuPont Company, 1954)
Making Power Lines: Design Against the Elements (Performed Line Products, 1956)
Making Soft Drinks: Industry on Parade: Putting Sparkle in Our Lives (National Association of Manufacturing, 1957)
Making Clothing: Industry on Parade: To Clothe Nation (National Association of Manufacturing, 1958)
Making 'Big-Rig' Trucks: White Betters the Best...By Test (White Motor Company, 1964)
Making Wooden Wheels: The Last Wheel Works (Hoopes Brothers & Darlington, Inc.)
Making Plate Steel: Specialist for Tomorrow (Lukens Steel, 1980)
Making Guitars: The New Yorker Special (1985)
Making Yarn: Yarn Preparation (DuPont Company, 1986)
Making Furniture: The Thomas Moser Story (Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers, 2010)
For assistance with using Hagley motion picture collections, contact us at research@hagley.org
Header image: Uses of Mylar in Candy Factories. Photographed by William Rittase. (DuPont Company Product Information photographs, Accession 1972.341)