Gerstenslager
Encyclopedia
Worthington Industries
Worthington Industries, Inc. is a diversified metal manufacturing company with annual sales of approximately $2.6 billion. The Columbus, Ohio based company is a steel processor and a manufacturer of metal products such as light gauge steel framing for commercial and residential construction;...
, is a maker of past model body panels for several major auto makers. In the 1950s the company was best known for making large custom vehicles such as bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
s, canteens and mobile television units.
History
The company started in 1860 as a carriage factory known as the Wehe Company in Marshallville, OhioMarshallville, Ohio
Marshallville is a village in Wayne County, Ohio, United States. The population was 826 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Marshallville is located at ....
. In 1882 blacksmith George Gerstenslager went to work for the company, and by 1904 was the owner and eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
. In 1907, the company moved to Wooster, Ohio
Wooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
. In the early 1920s, Gerstenslager changed from production of buggies, surreys and wagons to van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
bodies and special truck bodies.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Gerstenslager began producing custom-built mobile units such as Bookmobiles, fire rescue vehicles, dental units, canteens, mobile X-ray units, mobile hospitals, as well as mobile television units used by the major networks. The company also built vehicles for the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
. In the early 1950s, Gerstenslager designed five Wienermobile
Wienermobile
A "Wienermobile" is an automobile shaped like a hot dog on a bun that is used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products. It was created in 1936 by Oscar's nephew, Carl G. Mayer, and variants are still used by Oscar Mayer today. In 2004, Oscar Mayer announced a contest whereby customers could...
s for the Oscar Mayer
Oscar Mayer
Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut production company, owned by Kraft Foods, known for its hot dogs, bologna, bacon and Lunchables products.-History:...
hot dog producer. In the 1960s, the company expanded to make parts for the automotive, truck and agricultural industries.
In 1997, Gerstenslager was acquired by Worthington Industries of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The company then expanded into the past-model auto metal stamping industry.