Does Sauder Manufacturing Co. have ties to Jeep?
The short answer is, yes, we do! A large complex located in Northwest Ohio is the home of two Jeep assembly plants in Toledo, Ohio. A short 40 miles away, you can find the Sauder Worship Seating factory in Archbold, Ohio. But this isn’t the only thing that links Sauder Manufacturing Co. to Jeep.
When WWII began, it became apparent that a small go anywhere on and off the road 4×4 vehicle was needed. This vehicle would replace the efforts of using animals to move equipment and personnel, allowing tasks to be done faster with more efficiency. The Jeep was the answer and has been referred to as “America’s greatest contribution to warfare.”
Willys Overland Motors, Inc. (now referred to as the South Plant in the Jeep complex in Toledo, OH) produced many Jeeps and related utility vehicles to send overseas during WWII. But transporting these vehicles overseas was not an easy task. One of the ways to ship them was to pack them in pieces inside crates. Willys Overland Motors received vital parts in packing their Jeeps from Butler Lumber Co., located in Chase City, Virginia.
Who is Butler Lumber Co.?
If the name Butler sounds familiar, you may know that Sauder Manufacturing Co. acquired Butler Woodcrafters in Chase City, VA, back in 2015. Butler Human Services® Furniture (formerly Butler Lumber Co. and Butler Woodcrafters) is the same Butler milling pine crates for Willys Overland Motors to ship their vehicles overseas during the war. Today, Butler still uses pine to produce some furniture for the Human Services market. What a neat coincidence that 75 years after the war, Butler once again had ties to Northwest Ohio.
Read more about Jeep’s history or learn more about Butler Human Services Furniture.