The Gerstenslager Company was a maker of past model

body panel A quarter panel (British English: rear wing) is the body panel (exterior surface) of an automobile between a rear door (or only door on each side for two-door models) and the trunk (boot) and typically wraps around the wheel well. The similar ...

s for several major auto makers. In the 1950s the company was best known for making large custom vehicles such as

bookmobile A bookmobile, or mobile library, is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Boo ...

canteen Canteen most often refers to: * Canteen (bottle), a water container * Cafeteria, a type of food service location within an institution in which there is little or no waiting staff table service * A complete set of cutlery comprising knives, forks, ...

s and mobile television units.

History

The company started in 1860 as a carriage factory known as the Wehe Company in

Marshallville, Ohio Marshallville is a village in Wayne County, Ohio. The population was 789 at the time of the 2020 census. Marshallville was originally called Bristol, and under the latter name was laid out in 1817. Geography According to the United States Cen ...

. In 1882 blacksmith George Gerstenslager went to work for the company, and by 1904 was the owner and

eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

. In 1907, the company moved to

Wooster, Ohio Wooster ( ) is a city in Wayne County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Ohio, the city lies approximately south-southwest of Cleveland, southwest of Akron and west of Canton. The population was 27,232 at the ...

. In the early 1920s, Gerstenslager changed from production of buggies, surreys and wagons to

van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. There is some variation in the scope of the word across the different English-speaking countries. The smallest vans, microvans, are used for transporting either goods or ...

bodies and special truck bodies. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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 The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

. In the early 1950s, Gerstenslager designed five

Wienermobile A fleet of brandmobiles shaped like a hot dog on a Hot dog bun, bun, called "Wienermobiles", are used to marketing, promote and advertising, advertise Oscar Mayer products in the United States. The first Wienermobile was created by Oscar Mayer's ...

s for the

Oscar Mayer Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut producer known for its hot dogs, bologna sausage, bologna, bacon, ham, and Lunchables products. The company is a subsidiary of the Kraft Heinz, Kraft Heinz Company and based in Chicago, Chicago, Illin ...

hot dog producer. In the 1960s, the company expanded to make parts for the automotive, truck and agricultural industries. After expanding their sheet metal stamping capabilities in support of the custom truck division, the stamping division continued to grow through partnerships with most major automotive manufacturers to make aftermarket parts. In later years the stamping division became the larger part of the company and the custom truck division was shut down in 1986 so the company could focus all resources to the stamping division. In 1997, Gerstenslager was acquired by

Worthington Industries Worthington Enterprises, Inc. (formerly Worthington Industries) is an industrial manufacturing company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The company is composed of two business segments, Consumer Products and Building Products. Within these segm ...

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. In 2011, Worthington merged Gerstenslager into International Tooling Solutions to form ArtiFlex Manufacturing; Worthington remains a part-owner of ArtiFlex.

External links

*{{official, http://www.artiflexmfg.com/about_gerstco.html Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Ohio Companies based in Ohio