Prescott Huidekoper
American Insulator
Inducted 1990
Prescott Huidekoper (1887 – 1939) was a leader in thermosetting and thermoplastic applications in the early years of the plastics industry. He promoted the rapid development of the plastic industry during the 20 years from 1919 to 1939.
Huidekoper served in the U.S. Army during World War I and subsequently joined the American Insulator Corporation as a production worker, press operator, and foreman. In 1928, he succeeded Emil Hemming, the founder of American Insulator, as the firm’s president. He encouraged and engineered ventures into new and expanding markets, including producing the first plastic-molded circuit breaker bases and covers for the electrical industry. Huidekoper’s ingenuity led to myriad new applications for plastics in the home appliance and automotive industries.
He was also one of the active industry leaders working to establish a professional trade association for the plastics industry. In 1937, Huidekoper was elected the first president of the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI – now PLASTICS). The organization was founded with the goal of responsible development of the plastics industry. Huidekoper’s leadership was instrumental in establishing an organization that would become one of the largest and most active trade organizations in the U.S.
Although insulators made by (or for) this company are embossed “AM.INSULATOR CO. N.Y.” (on the base), business offices were located in both New York and Boston, according to directory listings. The actual manufacturing facility was possibly in the Boston area and may have been the American Iron Glass Pipe & Plate Company (Iron Glass Works) factory at Haverhill, Massachusetts. In addition, recent evidence indicates that the Lyndeborough Glass Company, South Lyndeborough, New Hampshire (1866-1888), produced some of the American Insulator Company insulators. Samuel Oakman patents were used. (https://www.r-infinity.com/Companies/#A)