of lightweight magnesium chain saws. Models 360, 400 and 450 were introduced in the summer of 1965, and signaled a turning point in Poulan’s history with a trend toward the manufacture of light- weight but durable chain saws.
In 1966, Beaird-Poulan acquired the Wright Saw Division of Thomas Industries, Inc. which expanded their market even fur- ther. A year later, the expansion of the Shreveport plant, which added another 9,000 square feet of manufacturing space, allowed the transfer of the Wright Saws production lines to the main plant.
Beaird-Poulan technological advance- ments continued to lead the industry. By 1968, Beaird-Poulan was represented by 57 distributors in the United States and 94 dis- tributors in Europe, Africa, the Pacific, the Far East and Latin America. Poulan and Wright saws were available from more than 4,000 dealers .
In 10 years, Charles Beaird had brought the company through 51 models of saw development and opened the market of most of the world to the Louisiana built chain saw. The company still manufactur- ers its original saw attachment, the bow guide, but the sizes and weighs of the saws had radically changed, as well as streamlined and lightened to fit virtually any demand. Among the innovations which Poulan introduced during this era were the “push-button” sharpening chain saw, and the Super 68, designed to boost production for the professional pulpwood and saw logger. Also new on the model list was the Poulan Super 33, which at $129.95, was billed as “the world’s great- est chain saw bargain.” The Super 33 was perfect for farmers, sportsmen, homeown- ers or anyone who had limited use for chain saws.
In 1969, Thomas Lindley joined Beaird-
