Corporate History
Just before World War II, on April 14, 1938, Harry H. Vogelsong,
with the assistance of his wife, Dorothy, decided to found a new
business enterprise. His previous experience had been as a Manager
of Operations and Sales for the Follansbee Steel Corporation in
Toronto, Ohio, and Follansbee, West Virginia. Therefore, it was
natural that his business would be geared to selling products
and services to industry in the Ohio Valley area around Steubenville.
The operation was named The Voto Manufacturers Sales
Company, which was derived by joining the first
two letters of Vogelsong (VO) with the first two letters of his
hometown, Toronto, Ohio (TO).
Initially, the business functioned as a manufacturers agent from
an office on the ninth floor of the First National Bank Building
at Fourth and Market Streets in Steubenville. It was soon apparent
that selling heavy maintenance products by way of manufacturers
direct shipments to customers was not providing the level of service
originally intended.
Early in the 1940’s, arrangements were made to lease warehouse
space, acquire a delivery truck, hire a driver/warehouse employee,
and organize a shop floor for the processing of cut lengths of
wire rope. This was then and continues to be a principal factor
in the growth of the business.
Voto’s growth was also in part due to
the rapid growth in the number of open pit coal mines forming
to serve the war effort. To have a local source that would cut
to length (customer specifications) and deliver to the job sites
the wire rope necessary to operate the earth moving machinery
was a novel and welcome service to the mine operators. Business
soon expanded to customers within Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
After the end of World War II, the business expanded and required
additional warehouse space, salespersons, and delivery trucks.
The Company moved to leased property at 529 North Webster Avenue,
between Logan and Clinton Streets. Additional product lines were
acquired, especially steel castings, buckets, teeth, and earth
moving expendables for mining machinery, as well as cutting edges,
track rollers and pads for tractors.
Early in the 1950’s, a major customer moved its mining
operations to Southeastern Ohio and invited Voto
to provide a source for its supplies. This necessitated the formation
of a branch office and warehouse in this area.
Property was purchased on Webster Avenue in the Steubenville
area at this time. The Webster Avenue property, along with building
additions and other property leased in the neighborhood, served
the Company’s needs until a major move was made by the purchase
of the former Sears, Roebuck and Company property at 500 North
Third Street in July 1977. Voto’s main
facility remains at this location today.
Late in the 1950’s, continued expansion of customers in
Western Pennsylvania made it necessary to establish a branch office
and warehouse in Clarion, Pennsylvania, in order to service customers
properly. Additionally product lines were added, principally industrial
lubricants, industrial rubber products, and hydraulic hose and
fittings.
It was during this period that the opportunity to own stock in
the Company was offered to employees wishing to participate. This
led to further involvement in management and ownership by employees
who then became officers and members of the Board of Directors.
Harry H. Vogelsong, the principal stockholder, retired in 1976.
In 1981, the Company was organized into an Employee Stock Ownership
Plan (ESOP), which provides for employees pensions. Additionally,
as an ESOP, each employee is an owner-participant in the Company.
The history of Voto’s success can be summed
up by the excellence of the products offered to the customers,
and most especially by the superior quality of and dedication
to its services provided.
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