I worked at FMC's NOD (northern ordinance division) plant in Fridley, MN in the late 70s and early 80s, and the bikes, all indoors, and with zero elevation, were beat to junk. Most of the bikes were less than a decade old, some far less, and I was amazed at how wrecked they were. MANY of them had welded frames and other barbaric repairs.
The great majority of them were Columbia, Murray, or Huffy 26" single speed men's bikes, but, there was a sprinkling of Heavy-Dutis and Typhoons. There was at least one Columbia Newspaper boys bike, I've never seen another.
All of them were junk. The company got rid of all of them in the mid 1980s, a liability issue I suppose. I do remember a few retirees taking or being awarded their old bikes back in the day at a retirement party, but, I think it was often a joke.
The plant is still there, mostly empty now, but BAE runs what is left and turns out a bit of military hardware.
I think Andy is on the right track, somebody took ownership of that bike right at the beginning.
Ted