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1999 Newsletter Archive
MOLEX INCORPORATED ARCHIVES
Submitted by Nancy Webster, Archivist
Introduction
Molex Incorporated, the second largest connector manufacturer in the world,
designs and manufactures a broad line of electrical, electronic and fiber optic
connectors, flat cables, switches and associated application tooling. Based in
Lisle, Illinois, the company's operation includes 49 manufacturing facilities in
21 countries. Unlike many other corporate archives, whose company's name is
associated with well-known brand names, few people are able to identify
connector brand names or perhaps define a connector. Yet, Molex's history
reflects twentieth-century American history, and the Molex Archives documents
the company, technology and is a text book globalization case study.
A Brief Company History
Molex was founded in 1938 by Frederick August Krehbiel in Brookfield, Illinois.
Molex was named after a unique plastic molding material, which has advantageous
properties for electrical and insulating applications. Molex was molded
out of industrial by-products. Krehbiel soon enlisted his two sons, John and
Edwin, as partners; and together, they designed and manufactured electrical
insulators, casings for underground cables, entrance bushings, radiator handles,
clock casings and flower pots.
With the outbreak of World War II, government restrictions on the use of
strategic materials, such as rubber and steel, forced many companies out of
consumer markets. As a novel substance that utilized industrial by-products,
Molex was not included on the lists of restricted materials. It was in this
period that Molex began the production of various consumer items, including toy
guns and model jeep wheels. Molex toys were preferable to the paper cut-outs
marketed by other toy companies. With innovative engineering and design and a
novel material, Molex Products Company also was able to provide Morton Salt
Company with an efficient and cost-effective salt dispenser in the Molex
material. Molex manufactured this dispenser (later in phenolic) for Morton into
the early 1960s.
Molex made its first connection circa 1945-1948 when it added metal stamping to
Molex molding to make its first terminal block for Hotpoint stoves. By the early
1950s, Molex has solidified its niche in the booming appliance market as a
low-cost provider of terminal blocks, chain terminals, and other custom molded
connecting devices such as automotive terminal boards and plugs and receptacles.
A supplier to major and small appliance companies like General Electric, Philco,
Speed Queen, Westinghouse, and Whirlpool, Molex Products Company produced a wide
spectrum of custom-designed connectors as well as standard products.
Molex truly became an electronics company when it introduced nylon connectors in
1960. Molex Products Company was no longer a purveyor of products molded out of
the molex material; Molex was a "manufacturer of connectors, terminals and
switches". Astute business decisions (and a little serendipity) have allowed
Molex to successfully grow and expand globally and be a leader in technological
innovations. In 1998 Molex offered over 100,000 products.
The Collection
The Molex Archives contains approximately 3,000 artifacts; 75,000 visual images;
numerous manuscript and printed collections that are comprised of
correspondence, literature, publications, news releases and technical drawings;
and an audio visual collection that includes oral histories and hundreds of
hours of publicity and training footage. The historical collection (that was
effectively used and maintained) has been in existence since 1967; a formal
archives program was implemented three years ago in 1996. Projects to promote
the company's history (and the archives) have included permanent exhibits in
Lisle, Illinois and Lincoln, Nebraska and in Japan, Singapore, Ireland and
Puerto Rico.
This article's purpose is twofold: to discuss the impact of an anniversary
celebration upon corporate archives and to briefly introduce the Molex Archives
within the context of business archives and general archival practice.
Molex's 60th Anniversary
It was initially decided that the 60th anniversary would be celebrated in a
low-key fashion with each entity responsible for its own picnic style
celebration and a traveling historical exhibit. The shipping costs, the stress
on the artifacts, the expert installation required, and the necessity of a
system that could be displayed in any of the thirteen official Molex languages
was not financially or logistically feasible. It was ultimately decided that the
archivist would prepare an oversized display book, really a "story book", to be
published in each language. The book project was successfully completed and
distributed.
The archives is also in the process of printing an informative and colorful
brochure to encourage use and new accessions.
Another project tied in with the 60th anniversary was the second edition, a
"mise ˆ nos jours" edition "vanity" history book that had been published first
in 1988. The archives provided assistance with project management, and
coordinated the dust jacked design and production, photograph selection, spreads
and editing Through this work, a working relationship developed with the author,
who is donating transcripts, tapes and videos of interviews conducted to
complete the book. This accession comprises an invaluable oral history
collection. It additionally will save resources for the archives. This may
become the chief archival accomplishment of the 60th anniversary efforts.
Records management at Molex is decentralized. There is therefore no "trickle
down" of records for appraisal of permanent value by the archives. Purely
defined, the Molex Archives is a special collection, and the archivist's role is
curatorial. It appears that this is the case in many corporate settings÷the
archivist fulfills the archival mission vis-ˆ-vis the corporate mission and
expectations. Hopefully, the 60th anniversary initiatives and the brochure will
incur proactive interest in the Molex Archives.
The Krehbiel family continues its
leadership with Fred Krehbiel and John H. Krehbiel, Jr. as Co-Chairmen and
Frederick L. (Pete) Krehbiel as President, Automotive Division, Americas .
Effective July 1, 2001, J. Joseph King became Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, the first time in the company's 63-year history that a non-Krehbiel
family member has served as Chief Executive Officer of the company. At the same
time, Martin P. Slark was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer.
King and Slark have served Molex for 26 and 25 years respectively.
[updated 3/25/2002 - ed.]
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