1864

It all started with a grain of salt. The Crystal Salt Works was established as a family business by John Allen and Charles Allen Plummer.

1901

Walter Allen Plummer Sr. founded the W.A. Plummer Manufacturing Company in Oakland and San Francisco, California. The business grew from a small specialty manufacturer of burlap and cotton bags for the banking and farming community to the largest and most influential commercial textile company in the West.

1906

Shortly after an earthquake and fire, the company supplied tents and camping products to the survivors of the disaster.

1916

Patented the Desert Water Bag used by campers, auto tourists, hikers and miners.

1917

Unfurling the largest flag in the world on Market Street by W.A. Plummer Manufacturing Company, April 4th, 1917.

1920

Within 20 years, the company experienced exponential growth with office expansion in both the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles. W.A. Plummer Manufacturing Company was the largest canvas products company, supplying tents to the mining, trade shows, carnivals and tent rental trades as well as recreational areas, such as tent houses in Yosemite National Park and other popular parks and campgrounds.

1922

W.A. Plummer Manufacturing Company branched out to the automotive industry with complete camping gear, tents and camping accessories.

1929

The Depression took a toll on the company, causing a dramatic reduction in operations. W. A. Plummer Manufacturing Company moved to Los Angeles in 1929 and remained there until after The Zippertubing® Company formed. During the transition, as well as many years following, W.A. Plummer Manufacturing Company continued to serve all around the United States.

1942

Victory water bag made for the WWII troops along with many other government contracts.

1953

Zippertubing® started in the corner of the W. A. Plummer Manufacturing Company building.

1957

As the founder of The Zippertubing® Company in 1957, Walter Allen Plummer Jr. had worked with his father for many years at W. A. Plummer Manufacturing Company. Following WWII, industry needs shifted; plastics and synthetics were the future. Walter traveled the world in true entrepreneurial fashion, establishing ZT Japan and Zipper-Technik Germany manufacturing facilities. With numerous patents in his name, Walter Allen Plummer Jr. used cutting-edge technologies to surpass industry competitors.

1960

Supplied high-temp wraps to launch facilities for the upcoming rocket and aerospace programs.

1965

Zipper-Technik, GmbH founded and established in West Germany.

1969

Pile jackets installed in La Harbor to protect wood and steel piling in bay harbors.

1970

First international sales meeting in Totowa, New Jersey.

1971

Zippertubing® Japan founded in Kobe.

1985

Space shuttle helium barrier bags designed and supplied for the space shuttles and main engines.

1985

Ticon, GmbH founded in Switzerland.

1990

Zippertubing® experienced growth, but not without speed bumps along the way. Through the 1990s, the quality standards from automotive manufacturers became increasingly more scrutinized, which made it difficult for the company to immediately conform. But that didn’t stop Zippertubing® from working through issues and finding the right people to help. D-Track, designed in Germany, and produced by Ticon, gave Zipper-Technik a jacket for cable harness assemblies on most Mercedes-Benz® trucks and buses.

2000

Zippertubing® designed NSF cable splice covers for the Arctic Neutrino detection program.

2006

Zippertubing® received ISO 9001 certification on October 2, 2006.

2012

At the end of 2012, Zippertubing® established ZT-Ren in China to provide specialized, high-temp protective jackets for the Chinese manufacturing markets.

2015

Zippertubing® received IATF/TS 16949 certification on November 6, 2015.

2017

ZT Fab founded in Zhuhai, China.

2020

With cutting edge technologies, Zippertubing® was able to expand its capabilities. The CNC Knife Table, in particular, has allowed the company to develop a wider range of material options, which enabled growth in the defense, electronics and automotive industries.