When Northwest Aeronautical was awarded a contract to build military gliders during World War II, they needed subcontractors that could produce the necessary wood and steel components but that were not already engaged in aircraft manufacture. Villaume Box and Lumber Company, established in 1882, was an obvious choice for manufacture of wood parts.
Villaume was responsible for building the wings and cargo flooring. At the peak of production, the company employed more than 1,500 men and women working three shifts per day, six days a week. By the end of the war, Villaume had turned out $7 million in glider components and another $1.5 million worth of glider crates. In addition, the company produced $1.8 million in wooden ordnance boxes.
Now located in Eagan, Minnesota, Villaume Industries, Inc. manufactures trusses for the construction industry. When a group of local glider enthusiasts needed a place to restore a CG-4A glider, the company's fourth generation president, Nick Linsmayer, offered space in the company's shop, bringing World War II gliders back to Villaume.
Creator: Villaume Box and Lumber Company
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society
Dates: 1950–1959
Identifer: location MR2.9 SP3.1V r2
