According to Gerald Best's R&LHS article the Krupps were paid for in an exchange for coffee. It is not clear why IRCA ordered them from Krupp, but one possibility is Baldwin might have had a waiting list for business and Krupp could deliver sooner. Or perhaps coffee beans were cheaper than dollars. Since they were ordered in 1937 it probably predated the period when some American companies were maneuvering (or being maneuvered) to take advantage of a German victory in Europe, which some American businessmen anticipated would open up new markets. Prior to December 7, 1941 a lot of American companies were looking forward to doing business with a German Europe.
Kind of interesting how these threads can wander/
JBWX
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2020 09:48PM by John West.