20 Facts About Gilmore Schjeldahl

Gilmore Tilmen Schjeldahl was an American businessman and inventor in plastics, adhesives and circuitry.

Gilmore Schjeldahl founded the Schjeldahl Company, which designed and built Echo I, and worked on Echo II, Project Stargazer, Stratascope II, and PAGEOS.

Gilmore Schjeldahl had five children, including Peter Schjeldahl, a notable art critic, poet, and educator.

Gilmore Tilmen Schjeldahl was born in Esmond, North Dakota, to Norwegian immigrants.

Gilmore Schjeldahl grew up in Northwood, North Dakota, and did not graduate from high school, but took courses at North Dakota State College of Science and North Dakota State University before being drafted into the US Army to serve during World War II.

Gilmore Schjeldahl served in three battles with the 84th Division, including the Battle of the Bulge, in which his actions were awarded with a Bronze Star.

Gilmore Schjeldahl began his career at Armour and Company, where he began working with polyethylene.

Gilmore Schjeldahl left Armour in 1946 and moved to Minneapolis, where he created a bag-making machine in his home.

Gilmore Schjeldahl used the machine to launch his first company, Herb-Shelly, Inc.

Gilmore Schjeldahl moved into a shop the next year in Farmington, Minnesota, and eventually produced a variety of polyethylene packaging materials and plastic bag liners.

Gilmore Schjeldahl started experimenting with lamination at this time, researching adhesives for a new DuPont polymer called Mylar.

Gilmore Schjeldahl was involved in the fabrication of a balloon for the Office of Naval Research at the University of Minnesota.

Gilmore Schjeldahl sold the company in 1955, and remained in a corporate capacity for only a short time.

On January 21,1955, Gilmore Schjeldahl began making plans for a new company to be located in the basement of the Medical Arts building in Northfield, Minnesota.

Gilmore Schjeldahl secured a contract in April 1955 to create atmospheric research balloons made with Mylar polyester film, held together with an adhesive system that Schjeldahl developed.

Gilmore Schjeldahl Company gained national recognition for designing and building Echo I, the first communications satellite.

The Gilmore Schjeldahl Company worked on both the Echo II, Stargazer, and Stratascope II projects, as well as PAGEOS.

Gilmore Schjeldahl made the laminate and adhesive materials for the Polaris missile program.

Gilmore Schjeldahl resigned as chairman of the board and started Giltech, a company which concerned itself primarily with making bottles through the blow molding process.

Gilmore Schjeldahl worked with his cardiologist on improving coronary angioplasty catheters.