Zero Halliburton
 | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer goods |
| Founded | 1938  |
| Founder | Erle P. Halliburton |
| Headquarters | North Salt Lake, Utah |
| Parent | ACE Co., Ltd. |
Zero Halliburton, stylized as ZERO Halliburton, is a manufacturer of hard-wearing travel cases and briefcases, mainly of aluminium. Founded in 1938, the company was sold in 2006 to ACE Co., a Japanese luggage manufacturer.
History
Erle P. Halliburton, the American founder of Halliburton, had commissioned the aluminium case in 1938 from aircraft engineers because other luggage could not endure the rough travel through Texas oil fields. In addition to being more durable than a leather or cloth case due to its rigidity, the aluminium case seals tightly against dust and water. Halliburton later sold the business to the metal manufacturing company, Zero..[1]
In addition to aluminium, Zero Halliburton cases have been available in carbon fiber, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and Texalium (an aluminium-coated fiberglass).[2]
On December 29, 2006, Zero Corporation sold its consumer division to ACE Co., Ltd., of Osaka and Tokyo, of which it is now a wholly owned subsidiary.[3][4][5]
Uses
Nuclear football
The nuclear football, the briefcase which the president of the United States can use to order a nuclear strike, is a modified Zero Halliburton case, although enclosed in a black leather 'jacket' to make it less conspicuous in public or diplomatic contexts.[6]
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 astronauts used technical cases from Zero Halliburton to transport rocks and sand from the moon.[7][8]
In popular culture
The aluminium cases have appeared in more than 200 Hollywood movies and television shows, including Ocean's Eleven, 24, Lost and the James Bond franchise, often as a MacGuffin.[9][1]
References
- 1 2 LTD, DESIGN MUSEUM ENTERPRISE (2011-03-07). Fifty Bags that Changed the World: Design Museum Fifty. Octopus. ISBN 978-1-84091-584-6.
- ↑ "Zero Halliburton Texalium Attaché Case". Sybarites. Archived from the original on 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ↑ "Japanese luggage company acquires Zero Halliburton". Deseret News. 2007-01-11. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ Grant, Tina (1988). International Directory of Company Histories. St. James Press. ISBN 978-1-4144-2972-4.
- ↑ Langford, Martha (2017-07-18). Narratives Unfolding: National Art Histories in an Unfinished World. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-5081-0.
- ↑ Graff, Garrett M. (2017). Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government's Secret Plan to Save Itself - While the Rest of Us Die. Simon & Schuster.
- ↑ Brower ·, Ryan (2019-07-20). "8 Special Products That Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing". Gear Patrol. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ Kickham, Debbi Karpowicz. "Zero Halliburton Celebrates Its 80th Anniversary With A Limited-Edition Luxury Aluminum Suitcase". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ "In The Movies". Zero Halliburton. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012.