Our Company History
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.
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.
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.
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.
1917 - As World War I began, our manufacturing was changed to making 9 × 9 windscreens for military airplanes.
1920 - 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.
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.
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.
1942 - With the start of World War II, 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.
1950 - 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.
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.
1970 - Our furniture business was sold to Gleason Corporation of Milwaukee.
1980 - The Hobart Corporation was purchased by the Dart and Kraft Company.
1982 - Our Division was sold by Dart and Kraft and moved by new ownership to Greenville, Ohio.
1987 - We acquired Logos Ltd., an embroidery company in Richmond, Indiana.
1992 - We acquired Strayer Coin Bag Company in New Brighton, Pennsylvania.
1995 - Joined ASI, Advertising Specialty Institute
2008 - Became a member of TRASA – Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association
2009 - Joines PPAI – Promotional Products Association International
2010 - Received a Five Star Rating with ASI for superior satisfaction, quality, communications, delivery, resolution and personalization.
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”.