| 1887 |
|
The history
of our company dates back to 1887 when two Troy, Ohio businessmen
(Frank Douglas and Gus Stouder) discovered the first carriage
sunshade. These sunshades were being made by a local preacher
under his patent. The young businessmen acquired the rights
to manufacture the sun shades and paid the preacher at a rate
of six cents each, and "our" business was born. |
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| 1893 |
|
The company
pioneered the manufacturing of large umbrellas for peddler's
wagons. Brewery wagons become the prime user of these products
during the Gay Nineties. Today, our umbrellas are still being
used in the USA and Canada. |
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| 1900 |
|
Our name
was shortened and the company was incorporated. The product
line was broadened to include school bags, coin bags, typewriter
covers, canvas tops for trucks, hubcaps and tents. |
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| 1907 |
|
A traveling
salesman (Frank Dillingham) came to Troy with a new idea for
making "glass fronts" for the automobile. We decided to get
into the rapidly growing automobile business and manufacture
windshields. "Troy Windshields of Character" became known for
their design of car and truck windshields as well as truck vent
windows and automobile accessory items. |
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| 1917 |
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As World
War I began, our manufacturing was changed to making 9" x 9"
windscreens for military airplanes. |
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| 1920 |
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The wagon
umbrella led to a new line of beach and lawn umbrellas and couch
hammocks. "The Comfort and Beauty" line was a huge success
and resulted in distributorships being opened in Europe. |
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| 1931 |
|
During
the Great Depression, our company developed a new enterprise
- "Chrome Furniture". By the mid-thirties sales had increased
to such a level that two large mills were installed to make
the steel tubing on site. |
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| 1932 |
|
As a result
of the tube making capacity, the Transportation Equipment Division
was formed to manufacture seats; window sashes, grab rails and
related equipment for streetcars and buses. |
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| 1942 |
|
With the
start of World War 11, the company concentrated exclusively
on doing work for the government, producing sails for life rafts
and other cloth-sewn items while the metal products division
was manufacturing components for welders and generators, truck
windshields and using a special hard plating process to rebuild
worn-out aircraft cylinders. |
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| 1950 |
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After the
war, we returned to manufacturing our regular line of products,
greatly expanding our furniture operations. New lines were introduced
including booths and tables for restaurants, dinette sets for
homes and chair settees for offices. |
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| 1960 |
|
For over
half-century, we had been manufacturing neighbors with the Hobart
Corporation. Each company would perform numerous operations
for each other's products. Based upon an identical business
philosophy "THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTION FOR QUALITY", the
two companies joined forces and we become a subsidiary of Hobart
and two years later we were named a Division of Hobart. |
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| 1970 |
|
Our furniture
business was sold to Gleason Corporation of Milwaukee. |
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| 1980 |
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The Hobart
Corporation was purchased by the Dart and Kraft Company. |
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| 1982 |
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Our Division
was sold by Dart and Kraft and moved by new ownership to Greenville,
Ohio. |
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| 1987 |
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We acquired
Logos Ltd., an embroidery company in Richmond, Indiana. |
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| 1992 |
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We acquired
Strayer Coin Bag Company in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. |
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| TODAY |
|
We manufacture
a large line of cloth products; both standard and custom designed
to fit our many customers' needs. We serve many industries with
pride - "Business, Banking, Sports, Travel and Promotional".
Now after over a century of continuous operation, our business
philosophy remains unchanged. We still believe, "THERE IS
NO SUBSTITUTION FOR QUALITY". |
