Fleetwood Metal Body Company
Fleetwood, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Established in 1909 by Harry C. Urich, the firm designed and fabricated custom auto bodies for the finest domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers, notably Cadillac, Duesenberg, Packard, Mercedes-Benz, ALCO, SGV, and Rolls-Royce. It was purchased by General Motors subsidiary Fisher Body Co. in 1925, and in 1930, GM moved fabrication operations to Detroit. The Fleetwood name was used by Cadillac for its luxury cars for another 60 years.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Founded in Fleetwood by Harry C. Urich in 1909, the Fleetwood Metal Body Company handcrafted custom coachwork for the world's most prestigious automakers, from Cadillac and Duesenberg to Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz. General Motors' Fisher Body subsidiary bought the firm in 1925 and moved fabrication to Detroit in 1930, but the Fleetwood name lived on for another sixty years as a badge of Cadillac luxury.
Why it matters
The company marks the transition from bespoke craft coachbuilding to mass automotive manufacturing, and its name became enduring shorthand for American automotive prestige.
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Related people
- ¡ Harry C. Urich
Themes & tags
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