Why Zero Halliburton is your space-age luggage
MANILA, Philippines - As the world grows smaller through constant travel, living out of a suitcase becomes a regular necessity. This means luggage security, durability and weight are top priorities when choosing a perfect travel companion. So when looking to invest in luggage, consider getting more bang for your buck by owning one of the world’s legacy luggage brands.
As it finally debuts its mono-brand store in the Philippines, here are five reasons why Zero Halliburton is, after almost 80 years, still the most trusted brand for safe travels.
1. It is founded by tough industrialist Erle Halliburton
The Texan oil fields of the 1930s were a rough and tumble place for visitors looking to tap into the “black gold” rush. A trip to the Lone Star State often came with frequent bumps, from dusty roads to the perils of having your flimsy leather luggage fall off the locomotive — until one man had a plan to allow traveling with a little more peace of mind.
“Our expedition started over seven decades ago when we introduced the original aluminum case to the world,” explained Zero Halliburton president Hiroaki Morishita, whose ACE Co. of Japan now owns the American-pioneered luggage brand.
In 1938, Erle Halliburton commissioned aircraft engineers to use airline-grade aluminum to craft durable yet lightweight travel cases, which solidified Zero Halliburton’s hold on the pack-and-go travel market. With its game-changing airtight gaskets, “It was created with the philosophy of protecting the inside from the outside,” assures Yuichiro Noguchi, Zero Halliburton’s brand representative for Asia.
“Generally speaking, the core Zero Halliburton consumer tends to value our strong, sturdy, authentic aluminum line,” Noguchi added, which now includes the Classic Aluminum series and sleeker Geo-Aluminum line.
The luggage that captured the glamour of old Hollywood
After opening a factory in Southern California, Erle Halliburton started adding dual styling ribs and launched aluminum carry-alls and briefcases that captivated the upwardly mobile, from European nobility to Hollywood royalty.
One of its early fans was actress Marlene Dietrich, who found her fully customized Halliburton cases complemented her tough-chic personal style. Since then, the luggage brand has appeared in some 300 movies and TV shows, such as Mission: Impossible, Inception, Men In Black and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Endurance is key, says Noguchi: “We are targeting strength, security and durability, and this will not be changed. It is timeless, something the consumer increasingly values in the future.”
The brand US presidents trust with nuclear launch controls
Now that nuclear war is once again a topic of discussion, it’s nice to know the world’s largest nuclear armory is well safeguarded. Since the time of President Eisenhower, the nuclear “football” has been a metal Zero Halliburton briefcase wrapped in a black leather jacket. It holds the controls of the United States’ nuclear artillery, which can be used by a US President to launch while away from the White House Situation Room. It was reportedly carried by President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if President Trump also has a Halliburton nearby (like, say, while visiting Mar-A-Lago for the weekend).
In a more de-escalated world, however, Zero Halliburton’s briefcases simply offer everyday security for the modern consumer’s business documents and essentials. (Some local Zero Halliburton salespeople even report customers purchasing them to use as safety deposit boxes in their homes.)
It was the first luggage to travel to the moon
Just a year after Halliburton added the word “Zero” to its moniker, NASA commissioned the brand to create modified aluminum cases for the 1969 “Apollo 11” expedition. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin used the cases to transport moon rocks and soil samples safely back to earth.
As Morishita enthused, “We want to develop products that are not only ahead of their time, but timeless. We were the first luggage that landed on the Moon. Let us be the first to land on Mars.”
With its Zero Air II polycarbonate luggage, the brand promises more lightweight cases that are almost as tough as the aluminum models. The upcoming Greenwich collection includes lightweight and full-featured suitcases made from Cordura nylon and polyester, perfect for a broader market.
Indeed, Zero Halliburton continues to push the notion of what travel should be for the growingly mobile Filipino: one that is tough, timeless and transcendental no matter the destination.
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The Zero Halliburton flagship store is located at the ground level of S Maison, Conrad Manila, Mall of Asia Complex.
