Founder reflects on company's beginning; envisions future supplying healthcare

JANUARY 1958 – The Ellsworth Pipe & Supply Company went into voluntary liquidation in July, 1947. They were engaged in the manufacturer of tubular furniture, pipe and tube fabricating. Steel pipe nipples for plumbing and industrial uses were a major product. 

The steel strikes of early 1946, plus the relaxation of all controls, contributed to the failure of the former company, as it was impossible to procure materials. (I) was employed by Ellsworth Pipe & Supply Company in the position of Assistant to the President in charge of design, manufacture, procurement of materials, production methods and marketing of tubular furniture.

Arrangements were made for (me) to take over the complete unit, orders, and machinery, necessary to produce the tubular furniture. In August 1947, we started in rented quarters at 138 E. Becher Street. The machinery was owned by us but operated on a contract basis by others. 

Our major product was bar stools which were sold nationally to restaurant supply dealers. One tube fabricating job was also retained. This consisted of making truck seat frames for Bostrom Manufacturing Company. We started with six employees in the factory doing upholstery and assembly and had two people in the office.

A small backlog of orders was turned over to us and, using this as a nucleus, further sales and advertising efforts were made, plus the development of other products for this market. The company controlling the space we occupied wanted to increase our monthly rent and, as they also operated our equipment, wanted to increase the piece prices as they saw our progress.

In August of 1948, we moved our operations to Butler occupying a 5,000 square foot building at 4900 No. 125^th Street. It was necessary then to train all our help, since we took over the fill operation of the plant and equipment.

The year 1948 was particularly rough for us, as we fought to train our people and develop new products. The moving expense, although it was not exceptionally heavy, was still a shock to our corporate system.

We attempted to expand our market and our lines of products. We also developed a line of display equipment for a large local display company.

In 1950, we started with three items for the Will Ross Company. This was our original beginning in the hospital field. At this time, we had a large fabricating contract from the Kiekhaefer Corporation for power saw handles and our Bostrom business was considerably larger. We expanded into household furnishings, (such as) the dinette sets, chairs and embarked upon a program of selling retail as well as wholesale.

We entered into a lease on Oct. 1, 1952, for two buildings on 124^th street, adding approximately 8,000 square feet to our operation. In April, 1953, we sublet our building on 125^th street to the S.K. Williams Company and moved all our operations into the location on 124^th Street.

In January 1955, we introduced a new product, our Brewer Cycle, which is a riding attachment for real type lawn mowers. The item was established on the market and 1956 and 1957 saw continual growth.

We leased a third building on 124^th street and joined it to our others adding 3,800 feet.

Out lease on on buildings expired on Oct. 1, 1957. The owner of the buildings came to us with a proposal for an increase in rent that would bring our monthly payments to over $1,000. A that time, we entered into negotiations with Megal Construction Company to construct a building for us that would give us an efficient operation and a more advantageous location.

We moved officially Nov. 1, 1957. As of today, we have realized a saving in our indirect costs due to operating in this new location. Sales are down represented by, we feel, a loss in production and sales in the months we have moved, November and December. Our operating statements indicate we are increasing our profits in spite of the sales decline

Our main efforts today are in expanding our services and our inventory in the hospital end of the business. Due to a very poor spring, lawn mower sales are down and, as a result, our cycle sales are lower. New products have been added to our line and aggressive sales program to reach doctors has been started. It is our feeling that we will, in the coming year, be able to make up for the loss in sales on our fabricating which we are not solicitating to any great extent and that any business realized on our cycle will be a plus business.

E.F. Brewer, 

Company Founder, 

(Dated January 1958)