Daniel K. Ludwig

   

Daniel K. Ludwig (1897-1992) was a US shipping magnate and millionaire.

Daniel K. Ludwig was born June 24 1897 in South Haven, Michigan. He ended school at the eight grade and begun to work in various shipping-related jobs like a machinist, sea-going engineer and ship handler and learned the ropes mainly by experience. He went into shipping at the age of 19 and started his business transporting molasses around the Great Lakes. At the height of his career, Ludwig owned and operated complement of some 60 vessels.

He upgraded the services until his National Bulk Carriers had become one of the largest US shipping companies. His shipyards used welding instead of riveting - that saved time during World War Two when there was huge demand for new ships. After the war his ships transported oil around the world.

Ludwing went on financing more ships and new supertankers that became standard for of transporting oil around the world. He also used his fortune to buy stocks and invest in banking, cattle ranching, insurance and real estate around the world and invested in various mining and exploration projects in Americas, Africa, Australia and the Middle East. He created a chain of luxury hotels in Mexico, Bermuda and the Bahamas and engineered the development of Westlake Village, California.

His major idea, the Jari project in the Amazon basin in 1967, was less successful. He had to hand it out to local developers in 1981.

In his last years Ludwig founded the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in 1971 and concentrated his efforts on it.

Daniel K. Ludwig died August 27 1992.

Books

  • Jerry Shields - The Invisible Billionaire: Daniel Ludwig (1986)

External Links


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