Free Press –
Nelson Bolton Artistic Glass
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Nelson Bolton is an entrepreneur and a member of the Greatest Generation, as Tom Brokow coined the phrase. The television news anchor and author identified the Greatest Generation as those who lived through the Great Depression and fought in World War II. During the war, Nelson was one lucky fellow. As an Army infantry soldier, he fought from Marseille to Munich and lived to tell the tale.
I’ve known the Milford Township resident for 50 years. Our relationship has had its share of ups and downs…we don’t always agree and when we don’t, the arguments are spirited. But Nelson was a big supporter of mine during my County Commissioner days and our views about local government are similar. He’s always been involved in the affairs of Milford Township.
For six decades, Nelson has invented and manufactured glass and plastic surfaces. His career began after World War II. When his service in the Second World War ended in 1946, he went to work for Edwin Howarth, the proprietor of North Penn Glass Company, which specialized in repairing automobile windows in Quakertown.
“I believed in the answer, ‘yes,’ Nelson told me. “When a potential customer asked if we could produce an item or build something, my answer was always, ‘yes.’” Because he had engineering skills, Nelson figured out how to solve thorny problems. He became an inventor and has more than 30 patents to his name. “I lost count [in the number of patents],” he laughed. “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s like bragging that you still have hair.” North Penn Glass soon morphed into Artistic Glass, which blossomed into a company with an international reputation.
Shortly after his employment began, Nelson discovered Ed Howarth’s lovely daughter, Suzanne. They married and one of their children, Edwin (named after his grandfather) works with Nelson to this day.
His mother in law, Isabelle Howarth, was one of my mother’s friends. Isabelle was a beautiful woman, even in her eighty’s…her appearance was regal. I think of her to this day as someone very comfortable in a stylish hat with matching gloves and high heels.
Nelson’s entrepreneurial skills began at a young age. His family lived in Philadelphia during the Great Depression. In 1935, when Nelson was ten years old, a neighbor’s daughter, Delores Kelly, and he started a weekly neighborhood newspaper. “Delores wrote the articles and I sold the advertisements for 5, 10, and 15 cents in the four page paper,” he told me. “I saved $3.75.” It was a handsome profit in those dark and lean days.
You can
understand how Nelson stayed ahead of the competition with these examples. When
he invented a process that cornered the market, he realized that he had only a
temporary advantage. For example, Artistic Glass had major contracts with
“We were able to produce chemical strengthening for GE and GM products,” Nelson continued. “And we pioneered a new process for the security business. We manufactured bulletproof glass for prisons. In addition, we sold two million toaster oven doors for GE each year.”
But Nelson knew that those giant companies would soon figure out a way around his patents and discontinue their business with him. So he stayed ahead of the curve through additional inventions and products.
In 1995, Nelson sold Artistic Glass to a French company but retained the plastics business, which the French didn’t want at the time. Today, he sells plastic products to that very company.
Nelson’s son, Edwin, is a principle in the company. His grandson, Arek, is 14. “He’s become a half baked chemist already,” Nelson laughed. “He wants to be an inventor too.”
One of Nelson’s inventions is creating inner layers for plastic laminates. He was able to solve the problem of haze in plastics for Dupont. His company is a world leader in plastics. “We’re one of four companies world wide,” Nelson told me. England, France, and Japan are the other three.
Windshields, which defrost and defog owe their performance to Nelson’s manufacturing skills. He provides security laminates for military tanks and vehicles. One of his new products is a fire window, which can withstand 1,000-degree [Fahrenheit] heat for one hour!
“I was always lucky,” Nelson told me. I always made money.” He gave me one of the keys to his success. “Assume that you’re in the Great Depression so hold on to your money! Assume it will get worse. I saw people lose their homes in the 1930’s,” he concluded. “It made a lasting impression on me.”
We talked about his involvement with Milford Township. Twenty-five years ago, the Milford/Trumbauersville Sewer Authority was created thanks to Nelson’s encouragement. The water authority was added ten years ago.
Nelson’s been a remarkable teacher to friend and foe alike. Even when we disagree, I admire his brainpower and his resolve. “I try to inspire young people,” he smiled.
I have no doubt about that.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith