Ohio

Airstream

Jackson Center, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.439643, -84.044178

If you are ever in Jackson Center, Ohio, you are more than welcome to stop by. We have been making trailers here at our Jackson Center Ohio plant since 1952, however Airstream started manufacturing trailers in the 1930's. Over the years we have followed our founder's vision of design, innovation and quality to maintain our position as the industry leader. Wally Byam once said "let's not make any changes-let's make only improvements." And that's exactly what we have been doing for over 70 years.

Airstream began with a single man and a most singular dream. The man was Wally Byam: his dream, to build the perfect travel trailer. One that would move like a stream of air. One that would be light enough to be towed by a standard automobile. One that would provide first-class living accommodations anywhere in the world. Thus, over 70 years ago was born the first Airstream trailer. And with it was born yet another dream, a dream of new freedom, new places, new experiences, and new friendships. It was a dream so powerful, so enduring it did far more than create a new way of travel; it created a new way of life shared by thousands upon thousands of families.

The Airstream philosophy has always been and will always be, ? Let?s not make any changes ? let?s make only improvements!? Every inch of an Airstream has a functional purpose. There is no planned obsolescence. This is as true of the 2003 models as it was of the first Airstream to see the light of the open road. The classic Airstream of the thirties is no museum piece. Still in use today, it is as sturdy and modern in appearance as the first day it swung into traffic. As a result, an Airstream is always ?in style? ? conceived and constructed as a lifetime investment in happiness.

Today, the 2003 Airstream is the most thoroughly tested Airstream in trailer history. It is years ahead in engineering ? the culmination of over 70 years of experience in trailer making, millions of miles of Caravan travel throughout the world; plus millions of miles more, run up by happy Airstream owners! More than ever, the 2003 Airstream remains a testimonial to the practical vision, the tenacity and know-how of one dedicated man ? Wally Byam, and his team who made your travel dreams come true.

American Whistle Corporation

Columbus, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.097489, -82.997739

American Whistle Corporation is the only manufacturer of metal whistles in the United States... and it makes the loudest whistle in the world - 4 decibels louder than the nearest competitor.

That's why the "American Classic" has been chosen as the official whistle of the Boy Scouts of America and the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Come take our guided tour and see "American Classics" being made. You'll have some fun, see some fascinating machinery, and watch a small manufacturing company operate. Best of all - everyone on the tour goes home with a shiny new "American Classic" chrome finish whistle.

Tour talks are tailored for your age group. And all age groups are welcome, from pre-schoolers through senior citizens. On the tour, you'll: See "American Classic" whistles being made - from raw material to packaged product. Learn how a small manufacturing company operates - by seeing one in action.

See mechanical engineering at work - in one-of-a-kind machines designed and built to perform specific tasks in the manufacturing process.
Learn how a whistle works - and how sciences like aerodynamics and chemistry contribute.

Learn how a whistle can be an effective safety tool for people of all ages.

Anthony-Thomas Candy Company

Columbus, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
39.950869, -83.126279

Four generations of Zanetos candy makers have contributed to the company's success. Today, Anthony-Thomas makes millions of pounds of candy every year. Each piece is made fresh daily, always in the best of taste.

In about an hour, tour groups can experience candy making from start to finish in our 152,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art candy factory. Opened in May 1995, it is conveniently located off I-270 in west Columbus, Ohio.

Walk along our comfortable, glass-enclosed suspended "Cat-Walk" and observe eight lines producing 25,000 pounds of chocolates per shift. Our experienced tour guides explain each process step-by-step, from our kitchens to the final packaging. View interesting sights such as our huge copper kettles where the centers are created, and our unique silver wrapped pipes that carry liquid chocolate throughout the factory. The tour finishes in our beautiful 2,500 square-foot retail shoppe.

Bluffton Slaw Cutter Company

Bluffton, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.895574, -83.889216

The Bluffton Slaw Cutter Factory was opened in Bluffton, Ohio in 1915.
Local entrepreneur wanted to manufacture the 'Best Slaw Cutters and
Graters' in the US. Thus the company was started and continues to
operate continuously for the past 93 years. The blades are formed by an
'old world' process of hammering sharp, thus they wear sharp. The
building and equipment are of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The line
shaft is powered by a single antique electric motor. The product has
been distributed by many wholesalers, William Sonoma and most recently
by Cracker Barrel.

Bunker Hill Cheese

Millersburg, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.573978, -81.781528

Our Grandfather, John (Hans) Dauwalder, trained as a master cheese-maker in Switzerland, came to the United States in the 1920's to display his artisan talents in an increasing cheese market.

Like other Swiss farmers who made cheese on their farms and wished to emigrate to the United States, the brothers were listed with other individuals ?desiring to come over,? and were sought after in the American cheese-making market.

The Dauwalder brothers made their way to the Doughty Valley near Berlin. During World War II John returned to his native country to serve it and to provide shelter to refugees on his farm until the war was over.

After the war, John sold his farm in Switzerland and along with his wife, Lili, returned to the U. S. and purchased the cheese-making business Crist had founded.

Peter and Nancy Dauwalder, bought the company in 1962. The Dauwalders, too, began with three copper kettles; they are now in their third generation of family-owned cheese production. They utilized their particular family recipe, guaranteeing an individual taste. Other factors affect that unique taste as well. Even if every producer used the same recipe, the resulting cheese would still taste different due to the environment in which the cultures are grown and the variations in moisture content.

Heini?s cheese caters to specialty food distributors and consumers with ?more of a European style flavor and quality.?

At Bunker Hill, the curds are pressed into forms for a minimum of 12 hours, decreasing the whey moisture as well as the salt content needed in the product, the more liquid moisture we get out, the firmer the product.

Heini?s specialty is yogurt cheese, a pleasant, mild-flavored product whose popularity has grown substantially over the last two decades.

Bunker Hill products include a variety of other cheeses, including Swiss, Colby, Cheddar, and farmer?s, a mild, less fatty cheese good for deli sandwiches.

Due to the company?s interest in the health quality of its cheeses, which contain no artificial coloring or additives. In addition, and just as importantly, Heini?s guarantees that the milk it uses is 100 percent Amish milk from local Amish farmers, many of whom have extremely small herds that are afforded lush pasture land for grazing. Those farmers sign contracts saying they use no artificial hormones or bovine growth hormones.

Columbus Washboard Company

Logan, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
39.540182, -82.41332

The Columbus Washboard Company is proud to be the last remaining Manufacturer of genuine Washboards in the USA. Our company was founded in 1895 in Columbus and remained in the Grandview area until it was purchased by an investment group in Logan in 1999. The complete factory was moved to the old shoe factory in Logan just 50 miles south east of Columbus, in June of 1999.

We welcome tourists to our factory daily for an informal 30 minute tour. We still have in our facility all of the old machinery and presses that have produced our washboards for 109 years. During their walk back in time, guests find the old machinery fascinating. We can all be thankful that we no longer have to rely on doing our laundry the old fashioned way.

Our soldiers presently deployed overseas are learning how to do their laundry the old-fashioned way, we have sent over 4,000 washboards to Iraq and Afghanistan so far. We also include a full kit of laundry items, washtubs, clothes-line, clothes pins, soap and of course instructions are included in their packages. Judging by the wonderful letters we receive, our kits are very popular with the troops. View the Worlds largest Washboard attached to the building. 24'x 12'

Coopers Cider Mill, Apple Butter, & Jelly Factory

Bucyrus, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.822011, -82.974029

Take time to go into our screened-in porch to watch the apple butter bubbling in open 50 gallon copper kettles over a wood fire. You may observe, first hand, the delicious ripe fruits cooking into our irresistible products. We cook in small batches and use home-canning jars. Beautifully built , this 1912 42-inch rack and cloth cider mill is a fascinating machine. This is one of the largest cider presses in the state of Ohio and is capable of pressing 450 gallons per hour. The pump that runs the press is dated 1867. We no longer run this press on a regular basis.

Crystal Traditions of Tiffin

Tiffin, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
41.11365, -83.174515

Guests can tour the manufacturing facility at Crystal Traditions, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. They can watch the art of glass blowing while our glass blower creates a special design as he describes the techniques he uses to transform the gather of molten glass into a work of art. They can also see a glass cutter take pride and satisfaction in hand cutting crystal into museum quality work.

Customers can browse through the showroom containing the artisans work, plus crystal giftware from other corners of the world. The outlet has seconds, closeouts, discontinued pieces and lower end items.

There is no charge for tours and the facility is handicapped accessible. Large groups can call the office at our toll-free number 888-298-7236 to arrange a tour.

Graeter?s Manufacturing Company

Columbus, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.0645564, -83.0865629

Since its founding in 1870 by Louis C. Graeter, Graeter's French Pot
Ice Cream, handmade chocolate confections and fresh baked goods
have become traditions in the Queen City. Today the Graeter family
still faithfully uses his century old recipes and methods of production.

Graeter?s has perfected our traditional French Pot process, making the world?s finest ice cream just two gallons at a time. It?s the only way to achieve the irresistible creaminess that is Graeter?s.

Guggisberg Cheese Factory

Charm, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.506294, -81.784633

Cheese-making is an old-world art form, practiced in Amish country and kept alive by generations of family practitioners whose ancestors brought the tasteful tradition with them from the snow-covered mountains of Switzerland to the misty valleys of Ohio.

Each family group, carrying with it a unique way of working through a similar process, makes a product that bears its own special brand of taste and originality.

Alfred and Margaret Guggisberg emigrated in 1947 from Berne, Switzerland, to Millersburg, Ohio. Alfred had studied cheese-making not only in Europe but also in Africa.

Although he originally targeted Austria as the location for his own cheese-making enterprise, a neighbor in Switzerland mentioned Ohio?s need for skilled cheese-makers. He emigrated a year before the rest of his family, all of whom eventually became involved in the business.

His wife, Margaret, whose dream was to operate a "little shop" has been fully realized with the Chalet in the Valley portion of the Guggisberg complex. Alfred has passed away, but Margaret is still active in company business.

Son Eric runs the Swiss Inn, and his brother Richard is in charge of the two factories, the newer of which is located in Sugarcreek.

The entire complex began with nothing more than large copper kettles?which could produce up to a 200-pound block of cheese a day?and old world family ingenuity, perseverance, and tradition. As the area grew, so did the Guggisberg cheese factory. By 1967, the family had created its current signature item, Baby Swiss.

Over the years, customers have come to crave the ?mild, creamy? flavor of Baby Swiss, so named by Magaret Guggisberg because she thought it looked like the small offspring of the original Swiss cheese.

The cheese-making process at Guggisberg begins early in the morning with the purchase of milk, primarily from farmers in Wayne and Holmes County who maintain comparatively small herds.

Pasteurized milk is then pumped into three stainless steel vats and held for three to four hours. It goes through several different stages during which curds and whey (the watery portion of the milk) are separated. Whey is stored for use in other products. Curds, the component used for cheese, are pressed down with heavy lids that press out as much of the whey as possible and flatten the cheese into wheel molds.

After the cheese is packaged, it must be moved to warming cellars. It is this portion of the process through which it gains its flavor and its holes. Each package is dated and tracked with weight and type noted to assure the proper length of time needed to allow trapped carbon dioxide to release and ?pop the holes.?

The ingredients that make each cheese slightly different are the cultures and enzymes that are added to the vats and that ?go to work in the warming cellar.?

The flavor of cheese is even affected by the time of the year in which the milk is produced and by what the cows are eating.

Fat and protein content are also adjusted for different types of cheese. In general, fattier cheeses are creamier.

When the cheese is aged and ready, Guggisberg sells it wholesale, retail, and through mail order distribution in Ohio and the Pittsburgh area, although we are starting to spread out a bit.

Cheese can continue to age slowly, even once it has reached its peak, in a cold cellar for up to two years; a period of six months produces a sharper flavor. Left outside of refrigeration to ?puff out,? as some customers like it to do, is safe because a vacuum-packed seal assures it will not mold.

The Guggisberg Cheese Factory was founded by a Swiss cheesemaker and is now Swiss family owned and operated. Nestled in the hills of Doughty Valley and surrounded by flowers, Guggisberg Cheese is home to the Original Baby Swiss. There are many varieties of cheese available in the cheese and gift shop, as well as imported Swiss chocolates and cuckoo clocks. Located near the Guggisberg Swiss Inn is a place where guests can experience buggy rides, sleigh rides, and a trail riding (seasonal).

Harry London Chocolates

North Canton, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.917577, -81.429768

At the turn of the century, fine confections were associated with the delicate hand-craftsmanship of the Swiss, or the rich, smooth cream and butter used by the Belgians. In Canton, Ohio, unknown to the existing masters of chocolate, Gilbert London was teaching his son Harry the fine art of confections by using recipes and techniques from the family?s strong European traditions.

Harry London learned over time and through the eloquent teachings of his father the true art of making fine confections. He found that in a world where more always seemed to be the norm in creating anything of wonder, the art of chocolate-making broke all traditional rules. He learned that quality was more important than quantity. Chocolate needs to be simple and pure, rich and complex, and filled with blends that are subtle...yet irresistible.

Over the years, Harry London began making these delicious delicacies for his friends as holiday gifts. Friends were finding that resistance to these delights was futile. The gifts were cherished, and soon Harry was receiving requests for his fine hand-made chocolates. In 1922, Harry - a steelworker by trade - soon decided to make chocolate his life?s work and left his job at the mill. Thus, Harry London Candies was born.

Through humble beginnings, where ideas are strong and passion runs through every thought one has, Harry London created a small kitchen in his home. This would be just the beginning of where the finest chocolates in the world would be created. Through the years, his family traditions and recipes are still held to exceptional standards, for only the purest ingredients are used.

KitchenAid

Greenville, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.1305030, -84.6105539

At one time it took four days to build a stand mixer. Today a talented work force produces hundreds of mixers every day. Take a guided tour of the KitchenAid® mixer factory and walk through the entire manufacturing process. Then, peek over the shoulder of an assembler as the stand mixer moves into the final assembly stage. The tour will leave you with a new appreciation for the way KitchenAid products are made.

Mosser Glass, Inc.

Cambridge, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.042248, -81.569089

Mosser Glass, of Cambridge, Ohio, is owned and operated by Thomas Mosser and his son, Tim Mosser.

As a teenager, Tom learned his trade while working at The Cambridge Glass Company and from his father, Orie Mosser, who was plant manager. After the closing of The Cambridge Glass Company in 1954, Tom started to put together his dreams and skills. He acquired several moulds from The Cambridge Glass Company, such as salt dips, and toothpicks.

From that, he started producing glassware in his own factory in 1959. Since then, he has added many of his original designs. Tom's wife, Georgianna, is a great asset to Mosser Glass. Her interest and knowledge of antiques continues to be very helpful in the designing of new pieces.

The Mosser line consists of animals, paperweights, tableware, plus many decorative and useful items. The handcrafted glassware is produced in a variety of colors and some are hand painted.

In 1971, Mr. Mosser purchased the present property and has continually added to the facilities. Mosser Glass now has 2 day tanks and 3 pot tanks. Mosser Glass employs 32 people including three of his four children. The original Early American house has been remodeled into a showroom and office.

A personally conducted tour of the factory, showing the entire glass making process, is offered to the public at no charge.

P. Graham Dunn

Dalton, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.7923758, -81.6989307

P. Graham Dunn is a family owned and operated business that opened its doors in 1976. However the series of events that lead to this business began much earlier. It?s difficult to pick a time or place to begin, but we will try to do just that. The time is the 1940?s and the place is a politically unstable China.

Peter Dunn?s parents, Marvin and Miriam Dunn, dedicated nearly their entire lives to work in China serving China Inland Missions, a mission founded by Hudson Taylor. Each began serving independently, and it was in China that they met and were married. Miriam kept a memoir of her experiences as a child of missionaries growing up in China herself. It is Peter?s goal to one day have these memories published and shared. Marvin and Miriam continued serving until their retirement in 1973.

During World War II, Marvin and Miriam were serving in a small village helping a young couple prepare for their wedding ceremony. Unfortunately due to the war, the bride was having difficulty obtaining silk for her wedding dress. Eventually some silk was rounded up for the dress from a most unusual source. The wedding dress was made from silk parachutes of American aviators who had just finished a near suicide mission over Japan. The man in charge of the operation was none other than Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle.

China was a very turbulent and dangerous place in the 40?s and 50?s for foreigners. In 1944 Mr. and Mrs. Graham Hutchinson were led to join the China Inland Mission. During these years of service, Japan invaded China and the invasion was followed by intense civil war. This put the lives of missionaries at risk. The mission board ordered the evacuation of all who were serving in southwestern China. This included the Graham Hutchinson?s and also Marvin and Miriam Dunn. The route to safety was a bumpy flight on a DC-3 over the Himalayas into India. The Graham Hutchinson?s were scheduled to fly out on the same plane as the Dunn?s. However, the plane ran out of seating before everyone was loaded. The childless Hutchinson?s noticed that Miriam was obviously pregnant and had not been seated. They voluntarily gave up their seats so Miriam and Marvin could take the first flight out of China. After arriving safely in India, Miriam and Marvin were devastated to learn the following flight crashed into the Himalayas and everyone on board perished.

Miriam gave birth to Peter?s older sister Rosemary in India. After returning to China less than two years later to resume their work, Miriam gave birth to a son. She named him Peter Graham Dunn in recognition of the sacrifice the Graham Hutchinson?s made. Later when Peter chose a name for his new business, it was important to emphasize Graham. Finally, when Peter and his wife LeAnna had their son Thomas, they extended this recognition by naming him Thomas Graham Dunn.

Peter?s journey from China to the world?s largest Amish and Mennonite community took him through Three Hills, Alberta. It was there while Peter was a young man that he spotted the young lady who would later become his wife, LeAnna Gerber, a Mennonite from the United States. Peter courted LeAnna for nearly 7 years, never seeming to gain her affection. While nearly ready to give up, Peter traveled to Ohio to visit LeAnna and her family over the Christmas holidays of 1971. Sitting atop the silo on the family farm, LeAnna turned to Peter and asked if he was going to ask to marry her, or what! And marry her he did.

In 1972, newlyweds Peter and LeAnna Dunn accepted a mission from their church to open a home for runaway girls in New York City. In order to keep the girls occupied, they initiated a small woodworking business. The girls carved plaques and gifts that quickly became popular items at out-door markets in Greenwich Village. When the mission in New York was complete, the couple bought the woodworking equipment and installed it on their farm in Dalton, Ohio.

Peter spent the next two years building silos for area farmers to support his family, while perfecting his designs and manufacturing techniques during every spare moment. In 1977, he received an order for 3,000 items, allowing him to devote all his energies to his growing business. For the next twenty years, he designed every plaque, gift and each item of furniture. Today, a diverse group of employees contributes to the design process, resulting in a healthier company and broader market appeal.
In the early days, the work was labor-intensive. In time, the company began to computerize carving and laser operations and found it could compete successfully with offshore manufacturers. Today P. Graham Dunn serves over 4,000 accounts, most in the U.S., and the remainder in Canada and around the world.

P. Graham Dunn is located in Dalton, Ohio operating in a 140,000 square foot manufacturing facility. Inside the facility is an 18,000 square foot retail store and viewing gallery. Guests enter the massive two-story lobby where oversized plaques adorn the walls, scripture is carved into the crown molding, and where they?ll find one of Ohio?s largest indoor murals. Ascending to the second floor store, windows along each side give visitors a bird?s eye view of the production process from start to finish. Lasers in the store are available for custom engraved gifts on the spot. Additionally services are available to bring your own custom ideas to life. And if that wasn?t enough bargain shoppers flock to the Factory Outlet where we constantly add overstocked, scratch & dent, prototype, discontinued, and unfinished merchandise.

P. Graham Dunn opened two stores in Gatlinburg, TN, a store in Branson, MO, Walnut Creek, OH, and in Crocker Park in Westlake, OH.

While much has changed at P. Graham Dunn over the past thirty years, much remains the same. The first two employees of the company are still active in the business. Robert Shetler is vice president of manufacturing and Carol Currie who works in the shipping department. While Peter?s wife LeAnna no longer manages the finances for the business, she actively helps choose all the scripture engraved on the prints. Peter?s son, Paul, does much of the product design and custom work and his son-in-law Joe Knutson is the retail operations manager.

While we strive to ensure P. Graham Dunn is successful in a competitive manufacturing environment, we will never lose sight of the sacrifice the Graham Hutchinson?s made, for the service Peter?s parents contributed to China, and ultimately our mission to Lift Him Up.

Schwebel Baking Company (Solon, OH)

Solon, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
41.39228, -81.457836

It began in 1906, in a small kitchen in Campbell, Ohio.

The morning air was crisp, and Dora and Joseph Schwebel were working together to mix, knead and bake the family's famous bread. Known for its outstanding taste, unmatched freshness and superior quality, the bread was carefully baked each day, and delivered ? still warm from the oven ? in wicker laundry baskets to a growing number of customers residing in and around neighboring Youngstown, Ohio.

Building A Business On The Finest Bread

In just a few short years, the reputation of Schwebel's bread spread far and wide. The bakery's customer list continued to expand, and delivery operations now depended on horse and wagon ? instead of wicker baskets ? to deliver the oven-fresh bread.

In 1914, Dora and Joseph entered the world of retail sales by working out agreements with several local ?mom and pop? stores ? a move that opened up new and more profitable sales channels for their fledgling business. To ensure that fresh bread was in the stores when customers asked for it, the young couple added more bakers to assist the family, and even hired the company's first driver/salesperson to complement the horse and wagon.

The strong economy of the 1920's kept operations humming along, and more and more people experienced the taste and quality of Schwebel's bread. In 1923, the Schwebel's invested $25,000 and built a small bakery complete with a store front for retail business. At this time, the family could bake and deliver 1,000 loaves a day using six delivery trucks. The bakery was on the move and the future looked bright. Unfortunately, tragedy was just around the corner. In 1928, Joseph Schwebel died suddenly at the age of 46 ? leaving Dora with six children and the family's business to run by herself.

Challenges And Difficult Decisions

In 1928, many people believed the baking business was no place for a woman with young children. Dora Schwebel was told she should sell her bakery and stay home with her children, but she wouldn't hear of it. Instead, she stared down the naysayers and decided to carry on with the business she helped to build with her husband. Against all odds, Dora forged ahead to keep her family thriving.

The stock market crashed in the fall of 1929, less than a year after Joseph Schwebel's passing, and Dora and her young family found out just how difficult running a business could be.

Vowing to meet her obligations by working all day and all night if necessary, Dora skillfully negotiated a number of critical agreements that kept the business running in the face of national financial ruin. She built a new bakery in 1936 that doubled production and improved efficiency, and added to it in 1938 and again in 1941. And through it all, she found the time and financial resources to help the less fortunate.

By the late 1940's, demand for the company's products was growing by leaps and bounds as soldiers returned home from World War II and the baby boom began.

Riding The Wave Of Success In The Fifties And Sixties

In 1951, Dora and her children moved into their ?million-dollar bakery,? a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility on Youngstown's Midlothian Boulevard, outfitted with equipment and baking processes that would transform the Schwebel family's baking business.

The family, proud of the new bakery, and thankful to suppliers and local citizens who enthusiastically supported the big move, planned elaborate Grand Opening festivities. The Schwebel's invited the entire community to tour the modern bakery and celebrate with the family. The new bakery allowed the company to continue expanding product lines and distribution channels.

The 1960's marked the beginning of the third generation's active participation in the company. Their entry would add vitality, new ideas, and a quest for rapid growth and expansion outside of Youngstown. In 1967, the popularity of Schwebel's Golden Rich Bread led to a successful national licensing program throughout the country.

Extending The Reach Of Great Taste

By the end of the 1970's, the company had noticeably expanded its distribution network. In rapid fashion, Schwebel's had now become a key player in the Canton, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio markets. In addition, the company had undertaken a significant bakery expansion program that fully automated the bread and buns lines, doubling capacity.

Record growth characterized the 1980's and 1990's. As a result of several key acquisitions, Schwebel's had become a regional force in the baking industry. To complement this expansion the company added distribution facilities in Columbus, Ohio and Buffalo, New York. This period also heralded special baking agreements with Stouffer's, Pillsbury, and Walt Disney's Epcot Center.

Growing The Company Into The Future

For more than 100 years after its humble beginnings in a suburban Youngstown kitchen, Schwebel Baking Company continues to produce the breads people ask for by name. With more than 1,400 team members dedicated to maintaining the company's standards of quality, freshness, and honest hard work, the Schwebel family makes sure that customers get nothing short of great taste every time. Joseph and Dora wouldn't have it any other way.

Schwebel Baking Company (Youngstown, OH)

Youngstown, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
41.060582, -80.634362

It began in 1906, in a small kitchen in Campbell, Ohio.

The morning air was crisp, and Dora and Joseph Schwebel were working together to mix, knead and bake the family's famous bread. Known for its outstanding taste, unmatched freshness and superior quality, the bread was carefully baked each day, and delivered ? still warm from the oven ? in wicker laundry baskets to a growing number of customers residing in and around neighboring Youngstown, Ohio.

Building A Business On The Finest Bread

In just a few short years, the reputation of Schwebel's bread spread far and wide. The bakery's customer list continued to expand, and delivery operations now depended on horse and wagon ? instead of wicker baskets ? to deliver the oven-fresh bread.

In 1914, Dora and Joseph entered the world of retail sales by working out agreements with several local ?mom and pop? stores ? a move that opened up new and more profitable sales channels for their fledgling business. To ensure that fresh bread was in the stores when customers asked for it, the young couple added more bakers to assist the family, and even hired the company's first driver/salesperson to complement the horse and wagon.

The strong economy of the 1920's kept operations humming along, and more and more people experienced the taste and quality of Schwebel's bread. In 1923, the Schwebel's invested $25,000 and built a small bakery complete with a store front for retail business. At this time, the family could bake and deliver 1,000 loaves a day using six delivery trucks. The bakery was on the move and the future looked bright. Unfortunately, tragedy was just around the corner. In 1928, Joseph Schwebel died suddenly at the age of 46 ? leaving Dora with six children and the family's business to run by herself.

Challenges And Difficult Decisions

In 1928, many people believed the baking business was no place for a woman with young children. Dora Schwebel was told she should sell her bakery and stay home with her children, but she wouldn't hear of it. Instead, she stared down the naysayers and decided to carry on with the business she helped to build with her husband. Against all odds, Dora forged ahead to keep her family thriving.

The stock market crashed in the fall of 1929, less than a year after Joseph Schwebel's passing, and Dora and her young family found out just how difficult running a business could be.

Vowing to meet her obligations by working all day and all night if necessary, Dora skillfully negotiated a number of critical agreements that kept the business running in the face of national financial ruin. She built a new bakery in 1936 that doubled production and improved efficiency, and added to it in 1938 and again in 1941. And through it all, she found the time and financial resources to help the less fortunate.

By the late 1940's, demand for the company's products was growing by leaps and bounds as soldiers returned home from World War II and the baby boom began.

Riding The Wave Of Success In The Fifties And Sixties

In 1951, Dora and her children moved into their ?million-dollar bakery,? a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility on Youngstown's Midlothian Boulevard, outfitted with equipment and baking processes that would transform the Schwebel family's baking business.

The family, proud of the new bakery, and thankful to suppliers and local citizens who enthusiastically supported the big move, planned elaborate Grand Opening festivities. The Schwebel's invited the entire community to tour the modern bakery and celebrate with the family. The new bakery allowed the company to continue expanding product lines and distribution channels.

The 1960's marked the beginning of the third generation's active participation in the company. Their entry would add vitality, new ideas, and a quest for rapid growth and expansion outside of Youngstown. In 1967, the popularity of Schwebel's Golden Rich Bread led to a successful national licensing program throughout the country.

Extending The Reach Of Great Taste

By the end of the 1970's, the company had noticeably expanded its distribution network. In rapid fashion, Schwebel's had now become a key player in the Canton, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio markets. In addition, the company had undertaken a significant bakery expansion program that fully automated the bread and buns lines, doubling capacity.

Record growth characterized the 1980's and 1990's. As a result of several key acquisitions, Schwebel's had become a regional force in the baking industry. To complement this expansion the company added distribution facilities in Columbus, Ohio and Buffalo, New York. This period also heralded special baking agreements with Stouffer's, Pillsbury, and Walt Disney's Epcot Center.

Growing The Company Into The Future

For more than 100 years after its humble beginnings in a suburban Youngstown kitchen, Schwebel Baking Company continues to produce the breads people ask for by name. With more than 1,400 team members dedicated to maintaining the company's standards of quality, freshness, and honest hard work, the Schwebel family makes sure that customers get nothing short of great taste every time. Joseph and Dora wouldn't have it any other way.

Spangler Candy Company

Bryan, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
41.478398, -84.555726

Spangler Candy History:

1906 Spangler Candy Company begins on August 20, 1906, when Arthur G. Spangler purchases the Gold Leaf Baking Company of Defiance, Ohio for $450 and moves it to 204 W. High Street in Bryan, Ohio. The new company is named Spangler Manufacturing Company, and produces baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, laundry starch, spices, and flavorings.

1908 Arthur's brother Ernest Spangler joins the company and suggests adding candy to the line. Candy would sell quickly.

1910 By 1910, the business outgrows its first location. Larger quarters are found at 205 S. Main Street in Bryan, Ohio.

1913 The business moves to its present location on N. Portland Street in Bryan, Ohio.

1914 Third brother Omar Spangler joins the business and brings mechanical & bookkeeping knowledge. Spangler now manufactures the following: Creme Peanut Clusters, Cocoanut Balls, Bryan Drops, hand dipped chocolates, chocolate bars, ice cream cones, soda pop and cough drops.

1920 All products manufactured at the company are candy, so the name is changed from Spangler Manufacturing Company to Spangler Candy Company.

1922 Hard candy equipment is purchased and stick candy is manufactured. One of the most successful hard candies is a penny apple sucker. The sticks are placed in by hand and the pop is sold unwrapped. Chocolate equipment is also purchased, which eliminates the need to hand dip the chocolate items. A variety of 60 products are being made and shipped.

1927 A candy jobbing business and retail store is opened in Maumee,Ohio.

1945 Arthur Spangler, along with three other prominent citizens of Bryan, Ohio, drowns in Snow Lake, Indiana, while fishing.

1946 The company is reorganized from a partnership to a corporation.

1947 By 1947, the second generation of Spanglers joins the company.

1953 Dum Dum Pops from Akron Candy Co. of Bellevue, Ohio is purchased.

1954 A-Z Christmas Candy Canes of Detroit, Michigan is purchased.

1960 The first union contract with Toledo Local 20 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is signed.

1960 The second generation Spanglers now actively manage the company. Ted Spangler is president and sales manager. Harlan (Bun) Spangler is treasurer and financial officer. Norman Spangler is secretary and production manager. Frank Spangler is in purchasing and product design. Charles Spangler is transportation manager and in sales service. Albert Spangler manages the Toledo Wholesale operation. Ernest Spangler, now 80, continues as honorary chairman.

1966 The Dum Dum Drum Man is born.

1978 C Gregory Spangler, third generation member, becomes President.

1978 Saf-T-Pops from Curtiss Candy Co. of Chicago, Illinois is purchased.

1986 The Dum Dum Drum Man mascot comes to life as he makes his first appearance at the NCWA convention in St. Louis, Missouri.

1990 Spangler sells its subsidiary distributorship, Spangler Candy & Tobacco of Toledo to concentrate on manufacturing candy.

1996 Dean L. Spangler, third generation member, becomes President.

1996 Spangler establishes an internet presence with a web site at www.spanglercandy.com

1999 Spangler Candy becomes a founding member of the Candy Alliance, which consists of American Licorice, Ferrara Pan Candy Company, Goetze's Candy Company, Necco/Stark/Haviland, and Spangler Candy Company.

2001 Jelly Belly Candy Canes®, licensed from Jelly Belly Candy Company, are introduced.

2001 The Save Wraps for Stuff Program returns along with a new kid-focused web site at www.dumdumpops.com.

2001 Spangler enters into a co-manufacturing relationship with Sunrise Confections in Juarez, Mexico, to manufacture commodity candy canes.

2001 An outside warehouse fire at Oberhaus, Enterprises, in Archbold, Ohio destroys 110,000 cases of Spangler products, mostly Dum Dums, with a value of $6.5 million dollars.

2002 Dum Dum Candy Canes® are introduced.

2004 Dum Dum Gum Pops® are introduced.

2004 Our new parent/teacher/kid web site debuts at www.saftpops.com

2005 Spangler Candy establishes the Spangler Foundation to honor the 2nd generation; provides community funds and scholarships for local area students.

2005 The Spangler Company Store/Museum opens in late December.

2006 Factory tours begin on the Dum Dum Trolley.

2006 The dumdumpops.com web site, which debuted in 2001, re-opens its new and improved web site in February.

2006 Spangler Candy kicks off its "Make Life a Little Sweeter" Contest in June, in which consumers can win cash and candy for their kind gestures.

2006 Spangler Candy celebrates its 100th year with a gala celebration on August 19th, 2006. Customers, brokers, vendors, community leaders, employees, 25-Year Club members, and shareholders participated in the event. The 100 year book, "A Sweet Century" is published.

2007 Spangler Candy sells wholesale business to Superior Wholesale Distributors of Lima, Ohio.

2007 Spangler Candy sells its remaining chocolate brands to Key III Candies of Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

2008 Kirkland B. Vashaw, fourth generation member, becomes President.

The Hall China Company

East Liverpool, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.638223, -80.534651

The Hall China Company, the largest manufacturer of specialty chinaware, has added the most advanced manufacturing technology. Through our Super Express Service? Catalog, we offer more than 730 of our most popular chinaware shapes and sizes, with even more color options, all in packed stock and ready for immediate shipment - overnight if needed.

Warther Cutlery

Dover, OH

Lattitude/Longitude
40.525295, -81.487842

Today, second, third and fourth generation family members have expanded their Swiss chalet-style museum into an amazing state-of-the-art facility. It showcases the 64 ebony, ivory and walnut train carvings created by Ernest ?Mooney? Warther, a one-of-a-kind collection that has been appraised by the Smithsonian Institution as a ?priceless work of art.? The original workshop, built in 1912 is still used by family members. Mooney?s son, David and grandson, Mark may be seen at times carving in the workshop or creating wooden pliers for visitors. This old shop is adorned with over 5,000 arrowheads. In the summer months, stroll through the Swiss-style flower garden?s to Frieda Warther?s Button house that holds a collection of over 73,000 buttons arranged in beautiful designs on the walls and ceiling. There is even a button from Mrs. Lincoln?s inaugural dress and a collection of original Goodyear rubber buttons. Today, the Warther family also continues to make Kitchen cutlery; Early in Mooney?s carving career he discovered the importance of knives that would hold their edge against hard surfaces such as ebony and ivory. Unable to find carving knives of such quality, he decided to make his own. His mother complained about never having a sharp paring knife. So he developed his own techniques for tempering and sharpening a steel blade that would keep its sharp edge. Thus, out of necessity, came the world?s finest kitchen cutlery. Today, the Warthers are in their fourth generation of knife makers, who still produce outstanding kitchen cutlery with the same expertise and fine craftsmanship.

The knife making process uses ?old world? craftsmanship and high quality materials to make the Warther knives some of the best in the world. The knives are made of high carbon tool steel, hand ground nine times and polished to a mirror finish. Then the trademark Warther swirl is added to the blade for a smooth distinctive finish. Watch as the birch handles are riveted onto the knife. The handles are then sanded and buffed to a luster finish. You will also view the wood shop where our Oak, Cherry and Walnut knife holders are made. There are no assembly lines here, just craftsmen creating fine kitchen knives by hand.