As much as most of us are familiar with Silo City, we must remember that none of what is happening there would have ever gotten off the ground if it were not for parent company Rigidized Metals (located just down the street). Most of the sculptures that you see at the site are comprised of products manufactured at Rigidized headquarters on Ohio Street.
Taking a look back, it was only when company president Rick Smith was looking for access to the Buffalo River that the Silo City grounds actually fell into his lap. The company that owned the land was looking to dump it, and Rick was willing to pick it up and play around with uses (originally for ethanol). Eventually the site transitioned to an art and ideas incubator of sorts, where young people could dream up projects and then (hopefully) see them come to life.
But what about the company that infused Silo City with the chutzpah to make it all happen?
A book has now been published that aims to make sure that three generations of Smiths get all of their stories together in order to preserve the legacy of the company.
As for the company, author Dick Hirsch does a great job of telling the stories of the business, the family and the ties to Buffalo. The product that is Rigidized is as fascinating as the characters that came up with it. The metal has been used on airplanes, elevators, trucks, schools, and just about everything in-between. The surfaces have been designed to make things move along faster, and to slow things down. The reinforced metal patterns are beautiful to look at, and easy to clean…. although they are so ubiquitous that we might not even notice when they are in our presence.
When it first came out, Rigidized was revolutionary. The book tells of the formations of the company, the attempts to control the patents, the competition that arose, and the resilient nature of the people who safeguarded the product and revolutionized the workspace.
To think that airlines once painted the walls in the baggage claim section every couple of months. With the advent of Rigidized Metals, there would be no more painting of walls… ever.
I was so fascinated to learn about all of the applications of the product, and how the different generations handled the company’s growth. The history of Rigidized Metals is a fun read for anyone who is interested in the dynamics of a family owned Business. It’s also fun to put the Buffalo pieces together. Ultimately, the story should be of interest to anyone who has been tuning into the grassroots Buffalo experience that is Silo City.
On Thursday, August 28, 2014, there will be a “book reveal” event from 4:30pm-6pm at Rust Belt Books – 202 Allen Street.