Last month, we announced the 90th anniversary of G. O. Carlson, Inc. and recognized the employees, customers, business partners and family members who have helped carry the company forward since 1936.
Beginning this month, the “What’s New” section of our website will take a closer look at the company’s history through a series of stories highlighting the people, decisions and milestones that shaped G. O. Carlson, Inc.
Our first chapter begins in 1936, when Gunard and Margaret Carlson purchased Mineral Springs Farm in Thorndale, Pennsylvania, and began building what would become G. O. Carlson, Inc. From an office carried in the inside pocket of Gunard Carlson’s coat to stainless steel plates stored beneath the trees of an apple orchard, the company’s earliest years established the resourcefulness, determination and customer focus that would carry it forward for nine decades.
Part One: From a Coat Pocket to an Apple Orchard
The story of G. O. Carlson, Inc. began in 1936, during the Great Depression. On January 2 of that year, Gunard and Margaret Carlson purchased Mineral Springs Farm in Thorndale, Pennsylvania, for $7,400. The property included 16 acres, a stone house, a tenant cottage, a garage and a frame shed. Later that year, the Carlson family moved into the farmhouse that would soon become closely connected to the beginnings of the business.
At the time, Gunard Carlson worked for Charles W. Guttzeit, president and one of the founders of Latrobe Electric Steel. Stainless steel was still in its infancy as a commercial product, but Gunard recognized an opportunity. Customers in the chemical industry needed special grades, custom sizes and unusual shapes that larger stainless steel producers were not well equipped to provide.
Late in 1936, Gunard began working as a stainless steel broker. He purchased ingots from producers, arranged for them to be rolled into plate at Lukens Steel Company in nearby Coatesville and sold the finished material to customers.
The business did not yet have a formal office. Customer orders and company records were carried in the inside pocket of Gunard Carlson’s coat. The operation quickly gained momentum. In 1937, Gunard and Margaret formed the G. O. Carlson Company as a partnership. The company also hired its first employee, Harry Cole, to supervise the conversion of ingots into plate at the Lukens mills.
With encouragement and financial support from Charles Guttzeit, Gunard built a two-story stone and brick building at Mineral Springs Farm using the remaining walls of an old barn. A small office occupied part of the upper level, while the lower floor housed a machine shop where stainless steel pieces were cut to customer specifications.
Margaret Carlson managed the office, answered phones, took orders and handled correspondence.
As business increased, the family garage and children’s playroom were converted into additional office space. By the summer of 1939, the company employed 25 people.
In March 1940, the partnership officially became G. O. Carlson, Inc., with Gunard and Margaret each owning half of the company. What began with an idea, a family partnership and an office carried inside a coat pocket had become a growing specialty stainless steel business.
The qualities established during those first years remain part of G. O. Carlson’s identity today: recognizing opportunities others overlook, solving difficult customer requirements and adapting as markets change.
Next month, we will continue the story with the company’s growth during World War II, the development of the “orchard warehouse” and the expansion of production into Coatesville.