One of the oldest companies in Bradford is celebrating its age
with a decidedly modern touch.

Zippo Manufacturing Co. has launched a special 75th anniversary
Web site that highlights the company’s history, as well as its
products and memorabilia.

The site, www.zippo.com/75years/, was set up this year to allow
Zippo collectors, enthusiasts, dealers and anyone else interested
in the world-famous windproof lighter to log on and learn all about
Zippo from the start to the present day.

Zippo Marketing Communications Manager Pat Grandy said the site
showcases an array of 75th anniversary collectibles available this
year, as well as trivia, history, vintage Zippo commercials and
advertisements.

Links on the site include “Dates in History,” “Zippo History,”
“Lighter History,” “Fuel Can History,” “Logos and Slogans” and
“Christmas Memories.”

The Dates in History portion features a timeline/calendar where
the reader can select a day in the past and learn what special
Zippo happening occurred on that day. For example, Grandy
illustrated with the Web site, on a day in 1954, a Zippo table
lighter was the subject of an episode of “I Love Lucy.”

The Christmas memories link shows images of the Christmas cards
given to employees each year and store displays used during the
holiday seasons over the years.

The Zippo slogans and logos on the site date back to the 1930s,
when the Zippo lighter was developed by George G. Blaisdell in a
garage in Bradford.

Seventy-five years and nearly 450 million lighters later, Zippo
lighters are still made in Bradford, and the company has gone on to
create new products like the Multi Purpose Lighter (MPL), the Mini
MPL, the Outdoor Utility Lighter (OUL) and Handwarmer, to name a
few. A new butane fueled pocket lighter is set to launch this year
as well.

The pieces designed and manufactured for Zippo’s 75th
anniversary – the 75th Anniversary Collectible lighter, the 75th
Anniversary Commemorative lighter and the 18k Solid Gold Signet
Lighter – can also been seen on the new Web site.

Those looking to participate in the three-day 75th anniversary
celebration July 26, 27 and 28 in Bradford will be able to check
the site for a calendar of events each day, Grandy said.

It also features a company profile, a company timeline, product
images, executive biographies, Zippo-related books and information
about Bradford.

With interactive components and high-resolution images, Zippo’s
75th anniversary Web site perfectly combines the history of the
last 75 years with the high technology of today’s world, showing
after all this time, Zippo is still hot.