Claude Casper Poulan (1915-1995) of Monroe, Louisiana was the founder of Poulan Chain
Saws and the inventor of bow guide.
In 1944, Poulan was supervising
German prisoners cutting pulpwood in East Texas. At the time this task required
three men, two to operate the chainsaw, and a third to operate a pry pole,
utilized to keep the chain from binding as it cut through the trees. Poulan utilized
an old truck fender and fashioned it into a curved piece utilized to guide
the chain. The "bow guide" now allowed the chainsaw to be utilized by a single
operator and quickly revolutionized the booming, post-war wood cutting industry.
In
1946 Poulan Chain Saws was established in Shreveport, Louisiana
where it produced chainsaws utilizing existing engines purchased from other
manufacturers. In 1951, Poulan began production of its own internally developed
and manufactured chainsaws.
The company is now owned by the Electrolux
Company and is currently the largest manufacturer of chainsaws in the world.
|
