5 Facts About Holden From Saddlery To Automobiles

Holden is one of the oldest companies in Australia, with a history of over 150 years. Its founder, James Alexander Holden (1863-1932), made his first car at 17 and opened his first factory two years later. By 1910, Holden was already producing more than 7000 cars per year. Today, Holden continues to be one of Australia’s most beloved brands. In this blog post, you will read about the company’s past and the current availability of Holden parts. So sit back and enjoy the ride!

The mellow beginnings

In 1856, at 14, James Alexander Holden went to work for a saddlery firm. His apprenticeship was short, and he soon became head of the manufacturing department. He worked there until 1869 when he decided to open his own business in a nearby town. There he made harnesses and whips for horses.

In 1877 James Holden invented a new type of buggy whip with an offset grip. So users could hold it comfortably without their wrists hitting the spokes on their wheels. He called his new invention “the Jumbo.”

Starting his own company

James Holden was in debt, despite his impeccable skillset. He’d had to borrow heavily from his father-in-law, who had to borrow from the bank and couldn’t pay it back. Holden didn’t have enough money to start his own company at this stage. He would need more capital if he wanted to do it alone. Starting a new business at age 33 was risky enough without involving the older generation’s financial problems.

World War I

During WWI, Holden started making car parts and soon after, he imported the first Chevrolet vehicle into Australia. He quickly established himself as a self-taught engineer capable of leading and managing people. However, he still did not have enough money to start his own company.

The beginning of an automobile empire

In 1906, James bought a saddlery business in Adelaide with his brother George. They then expanded into manufacturing bicycles under J A Holden & Co Ltd. In 1908, they began producing motorcars under their brand name before moving onto trucks and buses and tractors during World War I (1914-1918). After this, its success continued until 1924, when it merged with General Motors Limited (GM) for an astonishing $3 million!

Honouring the incredible history of holden

Carparts2u is one of the largest online retailers of Holden parts and accessories, delivering quality car parts Australia-wide. We stock genuine Holden replacement parts, from bumper covers to windscreen wipers. We stock a wide range of parts for most Holden models from all around the world. We also have a comprehensive range of accessories and some fantastic deals on selected products.

Our dedicated parts team is ready to help you find the right part whenever you need it. Don’t hesitate to call us or fill out one of our online forms to request more information about our product range or services.

James Alexander Holden was a visionary with a passion for innovation and entrepreneurialism. He knew the combination of hard work, dedication, and determination would lead him to great things. While today, we may not all be able to build our automobile empire from scratch as Mr Holden did, there are many lessons we can learn from him about how important it is always to keep pushing forward toward new goals no matter how daunting they may seem at first glance.