The Budd Company, founded by Edward G. Budd in 1912, initially produced all-steel auto bodies and expanded into manufacturing seats, wheels, and pulleys. During World War I, they shifted production to include steel helmets, artillery wheels, and shell casings. After the war, Budd thrived, producing car bodies for Rolls Royce and entering the railroad car industry with their Zephyr line. They also ventured into aircraft manufacturing. Despite growth, sales declined in the 1980s, leading to plant closures. In 2019, a real investment firm purchased the abandoned Hunting Park plant with plans to transform it into a life sciences hub for biotech projects in the city.
