Kurt Ziebart

Kurt Ziebart is best known for inventing the rustproofing process for automobiles.^[1]

Early years

Ziebart was born on July 27, 1920^[2] in West Prussia, Germany, before it became part of Poland. He served in the German Army during World War II.^[3] After the war, Ziebart became an auto mechanic before coming to the United States in 1953. He landed in Detroit, where he worked at a Packard factory outlet that housed several auto dealerships.

Rustproofing

It was while working in a Detroit body shop that Ziebart saw the effects of rust and began looking for a way to protect cars against it. That is when he developed the process to rust proof automobiles. The process is often called called "Ziebart-ing" or "Ziebart-ed", the generic term for rustproofing.^[4][5]

He founded the famous Ziebart aftermarket business, and the first shop opened in 1961 in Detroit on Harper Avenue.^[6]

Later years

In 1963, Kurt Ziebart sold his rustproofing company to an investor group. He also sold the rights to the name Ziebart which he registered with the company's trademark, a helmet and shield design. In addition, he sold the rights to the exclusive tooling designed by Ziebart.^[7]

Death

Kurt Ziebart died at his home Williamsburg, Michigan on September 12, 2011. He was 91.^[8][9]

References