DUBLIN, OHIO – Sutphen Corporation, the nation’s largest family-owned and operated fire apparatus manufacturer with headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, officially broke ground today on a new 185,000-square-foot facility. The new facility will be constructed at 935 S. Edgewood Avenue, Urbana, Ohio 43078.
The new facility will combine Sutphen’s three Urbana operations into one location and retain Sutphen’s existing 160 jobs in Urbana while adding an additional 20 to 25 jobs to the area. The new operation will also significantly increase Sutphen’s production capabilities.
“This new facility will provide an incredible opportunity for our family’s business and for the city of Urbana to grow together,” said Sutphen Corporation President Drew Sutphen, a fourth-generation family member. “For the last 131 years, our family business has worked to build the safest, most reliable fire apparatus in the world. This step will help ensure that our family continues doing the same for the next 131 years.”
Sutphen Corporation vice president and president of Sutphen’s Hilliard, Ohio, facility, Julie Sutphen Phelps said, “Our family and business values were instilled in us by our forefathers who laid the groundwork for where we are today. All of us in the fourth generation have worked hard to instill these core values in the fifth generation, and we are excited to see where future generations of Sutphens take our family business.”
The 185,000-square-foot facility will be built upon 55 acres of former farmland that will provide ample room for further expansion in the future.
“This is an investment in the future of Sutphen and an investment in the future of our community,” said general manager of Sutphen’s Urbana operations, Todd Winnenberg. “It is an exciting time to be a part of Sutphen and an incredible family to work for. We are actively hiring for open positions right now.”
Winnenberg continued by saying that the 20 to 25 additional jobs are being filled right now. The new positions will work at one of the three Urbana facilities until the new location opens. Once open, the positions will migrate to the new location.
“The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) is extremely pleased to join in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Sutphen Corporation facility,” CEP Director Marcia Bailey said. “We are so grateful to the Sutphen family for their investment in Urbana and Champaign County. Their contribution to our community is significant with their investment and job creation. We look forward to a bright future and continued partnership.”
The new building is being designed to optimize workflow of fire apparatus manufacturing, from start to finish, and will combine the operations of Sutphen’s three current Urbana facilities – the Sutphen Service & Technical Division, 49 N. Ludlow Rd. Urbana; the Sutphen Urbana Chassis Division, 1701 W. County Line Rd., Urbana; and the Sutphen Urbana Pumper Division, 1653 W. County Line Rd., Urbana.
Sutphen officials anticipate moving into the new building before the end of 2022.
About Sutphen Corporation
Sutphen Corporation, founded in 1890, is the nation’s largest and oldest continuously family-owned and operated fire apparatus manufacturer. With headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, the company manufactures the highest-quality, heavy-duty, custom-built emergency response vehicles. In addition to the Urbana facilities, Sutphen also is located in Hilliard, Ohio, and Lake Ariel, Penn.
The fourth generation of the Sutphen family currently leads the company and fifth-generation family members work in various positions throughout the business.
