Wooster Brush Company, The

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About
Name
  • Wooster Brush Company, The
Wholesale
  • Merchant Wholesalers - Nondurable Goods
Manufacturing
  • Miscellaneous Manufacturing
Trading names
  • Wooster Brush Wooster Brush Co
Brands
  • Company makes approximately 2,000 products sold around the world
Facts
Founded
  • 1851
    Wooster,Ohio
Number of employees
  • 500 persons 2022
Related
Predecessors
Key Persons
Founders
Owners
Key Persons
Location
  • Reno
    • 4950 Joule St., Reno, 89505, Nevada
  • Headquarters
    • 604 Madison Ave., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
      1909
  • Old Location
    • 56 S. Market St., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
      1909
  • Old Location
    • 18 S. Market St., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
      1870–1879
  • Plant 2
    • 1654 Old Mansfield Rd., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
  • Old Location
    • 400 S. Buckeye St., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
  • Original location
    • 212 E. Liberty St., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
      1851–1880
  • Old Location
    • 35 S. Market St., Wooster, 44691, Ohio
      1870–1879

Established in 1851, Wooster Brush Company is one of the oldest manufacturers of paint applicators in the country. The company's founder, Adam Foss, traveled from Pennsylvania to Ohio at the age of 18 with his brother Samuel. Together they "began producing bristle paintbrushes by hand in a small, two-story building in downtown Wooster, then sold the brushes door to door through the state." [1]

In 1876, Adam's son, Walter D. Foss, and son-in-law, George J. Schwartz, purchased the business and established it as Wooster Brush Works. Under their leadership, the company continued to grow. After a fire destroyed their original plant on East Liberty Street, they moved operations to 35 South Market Street, and within a decade they had expanded to occupy the entire building. After adding on to that structure, the company purchased land on Madison Avenue in 1909 in order to build a much larger factory, a building that has continued to expand in the years since.

The company continued to innovate over the years. In 1937, the Wooster Brush Company introduced the first angled brush for reaching corners close to ceilings and trim. When trade embargoes during World War II stopped shipments of hog bristles from reaching the US from northern Europe, the company introduced the first nylon brushes instead. In addition to product innovations, the company became one of the first in the country to create a profit-sharing plan for employees. In 2016, the Wooster Brush Company celebrated 165 years of business and continues to thrive today.

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Slogans

  • "If it's worth painting, it's worth a Wooster brush."

Quick Facts

  • 1851 - The Wooster Brush Company started
  • 1876 - Walter D. Foss and his son-in-law, George J. Schwartz purchased the business and changed the name to Wooster Brush Works[2]
  • 1876 - Changed name to Wooster Brush Works
  • 1880 - Fire destroyed plant on E. Liberty St., factory moved to 35 S. Market St.
  • 1889 - June, Wooster Brush Works now occupy the whole three stories of the Foss building on South Market street, and are remodeling the same in fine shape. [3]
  • 1893 - Brush factory of Messers, Walter D. Foss & George J. Schwartz [4]
  • 1893 - July, F. O. Weary, of the firm of Weary & Kramer, of Akron's noted architect, was here on Monday in consultation with Foss & Schwartz in reference to the addition to be built to the Wooster Brush Works The addition is to be two-stories, 70 feet in length with a wash and bleach house 20 by 20, Work will be started shortly. [5]
  • 1894 - May 19, Partnership Notice in compliance with the law of the State of Ohio, passed May 19, 1894.notice is hereby given that Walter D. Foss and George J. Schwartz. of Wooster, Ohio. are partners in the partnership firm doing a general business in the manufacture and sale of brushes of under the company name of Wooster Brush Works, Wooster, Ohio and that the necessary certificate as such has been filled with the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Wayne County, Ohio. Wooster Brush Works. [6]
  • 1900 circa - Swartz interest purchased by Walter D. and Oscar H. Foss and Lewis M. Rhodes.
  • 1904 - Wooster Brush Works, The - 35 S. Market St.[7]
  • 1909 - March 3, Factories at both 35 & 56 S. Market St., Wooster, Ohio [8]
  • 1909 - Company purchased land on Madison Ave. [9]
  • 1909 - Madison Ave. Factory to be completed in June 1909.
  • 1909 - The Wooster Brush Company, The was incorporated
  • 1910 - January, 15th Wooster Brush Expansion Is Biggest Yet [10]
  • 1917 - One of the first businesses in the country to pioneer the employee profit-sharing system. [11]
  • 1919 - Created a profit sharing plan
  • 1928 Wooster Directory - Wooster Brush Company, The - W. D. Foss, President; W. R. Foss}}, VP; Elma Shibley, Secretary; C. P. Foss}}, p. 210,
  • 1937 - Manufactures the first angled brush, for cutting close to ceilings and trim. [12]
  • 1941 - World War II trade embargoes stop bristle shipments; Wooster Brush introduces the first nylon brushes. [13]
  • 1949 - Stanley R. Welty became President
  • 1951 - Celebrating 100th year [14]
  • 1960s - Several plant additions to keep up with growth. [15]
  • 1964 - Introduced the first synthetic fabric for roller covers. [16]
  • 1975 - Wooster Brush celebrates its 125th Anniversary [17]
  • 1993 - Branched out with a new product line of surface prep tools, including wire brushes, scrapers and dusters. [18]
  • 2000 - The company hits highest record sales in its history. [19]
  • 2001 - March, Wooster Brush celebrates 150 years [20]
  • 2009 - Worldwide recession causes sales to decline, but no staff has been laid off. Employment is 523, from a peak of about 600, [21]
  • 2016 - Celebrated 165 years [22]
  1. ↑ Wooster Brush Company Marks Milestone: 150th anniversary, Wooster, Ohio: Daily Record, 4 Jan 2001, p. Business section 
  2. ↑ Jacksonian, Wooster, Ohio. 1893 Jan 26, p.3.
  3. ↑ Wayne County Democrat, Wooster, Ohio. 1889 June 12, p.3.
  4. ↑ Jacksonian, Wooster, Ohio. 1893 Jan 26, p. 3.
  5. ↑ Wooster Daily Republican, Wooster, Ohio. 1893 July 5, p. 1.
  6. ↑ Wooster Daily Republication, Wooster, Ohio. 1894 October 31, p. 3.
  7. ↑ Wooster City directory, 1904
  8. ↑ Wayne County Democrat, Wooster, Ohio. 1909 March 3, p.1.
  9. ↑ Wayne County Democrat, Wooster, Ohio. 1909 March 3, p.1.
  10. ↑ Wooster Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 1996 January 5, p. 1.
  11. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  12. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  13. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  14. ↑ Wooster Brush marks 150 years. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2001 March 18, p.1-2.
  15. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  16. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  17. ↑ Wooster Brush Starts on Its 125th Year As Local Industry. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 1975 March 24, p. ?, 29.
  18. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  19. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  20. ↑ Wooster Brush marks 150 years. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2001 March 18, p.1-2.
  21. ↑ History of Wooster Brush. Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio. Star, editor. 2009 December 20, Section D. p. D3.
  22. ↑ The Wooster Brush Company is 165 years young, The Daily Record, 2016:02-25
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