William Crapo Durant and Josiah Dallas Dort formed a remarkable partnership that transformed the small Flint Road Cart Company into the giant Durant-Dort Carriage Company, whose vast production helped make Flint one of the world's largest carriage manufacturers. Their main factory and office building stood nearby along Water Street. Seeking to control the cost of their carriages and wagons, they acquired factories to produce parts and paints and bought forestland to supply quality wood. To produce vehicles for a variety of customers, they created a variety of companies, from the high-end Diamond Buggy to the more affordable Webster Carriage. Durant used these strategies again in 1908 when he founded General Motors Corporation. Durant-Dort Carriage Company also provided much of the early financial backing for Buick, General Motors, and Chevrolet.