Kettering and Deeds had a lifelong professional relationship and friendship. Deeds provided space in one of his barns for Kettering to work on an electric starter for automobiles. (Photo is of a reproduction of Deeds barn on display at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio. The original Barn was moved to Carillon Historical Park from Moraine Farm in 2009 and is housed in The Heritage Center, an exhibition wing of the main building.) In 1909, Henry Leland of the Cadillac Company ordered 5,000 ignition sets and Deeds and Kettering formed the Dayton Engineering Laboratories company, Delco. Delco was eventually sold to United Motors Company which was later acquired by General Motors. Deeds was a member of the board of United Motors.