Name/Title
Staehling Bros. Printing Company, Inc.Scope and Content
Historical information on Staehling Bros. Printing Company, Inc. for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
STAEHLING BROS. PRINTING COMPANY, INC.
The Staehling Bros. Printing Company/Business has been in operation for 53 years. The business began as the Fladeland Printing Company in 1923, which was later changed to its present name, Staehling Bros. Printing Co.
J. Earl Fladeland, owner of the Waupun Leader, sold the newspaper to George Hamley and soon after set up a small print shop in the old Newton building which stood about where the former Red Owl store (now Werner-Harmsen Furniture Store) is located.
After the Waupun City Hall was completed in 1928, and the fire department moved there, Fladeland rented the old fire house from the City. This was located where the Landaal Bros. store now stands. The shop had to be moved to make room for the Landaal Bros. store, so it one
was moved one block east into the Gus Bernhagen feed mill.
In 1925, Fladeland had a young high school student working part time in his shop, by the name of Hellwig Staehling. Hellwig's father, the Rev. W. E. Staehling, often had printing done in the shop for his church, and one day mentioned that he had a son who was interested in working after school. After his graduation in 1928, Hellwig began a full time job in the shop.
One of the principal printing jobs in the early days was the label printing for the local condensary, Libby, McNeill, & Libby, which was the shop's biggest customer at the time. Hellwig asked his brother, August, who was working at Shalers to help out part time after hours.
In 1941, Fladeland was ready to sell, and the two brothers took over the shop, calling it Staehling Bros. Printing.
During World War II, Hellwig ran the business alone, while Augie was in service from 1943 to 1946.
Their first employee was John Van Hierden, Sr., who worked part time until his death in 1964. In 1948, his son, Johnnie Van Hierden,Jr. became a full time employee and is a member of the staff today. Shirley Van Hierden Rollins has worked for them since her high school days as a part time helper.
On July 4, 1961, they moved into their new building built by H. K. Mews at 18 North Madison Street.
Hellwig's son, John, joined the staff as a full time employee in 1963. The shop presently has five other employees, Mrs. Rollins, Mr. Van Hierden, Herbert Schlieve, Mrs. Ardis Erickson and Mrs. Irma Strom, (sister of the brothers). Mrs. Marie Fanshaw recently retired after _______years of service.
A complete line of office supplies was installed in the store part of the new building while the printing shop occupies the other part.
In the new shop they have one Chandler and Price press and acquired a 10 x 15 Heidelberg press, three Miehle verticle presses, two Mulilith offset presses, a camera and plate maker and complete dark room facilities The present owners of the old Leader-News, the Citizen Publishing Company, gave them their linotype rather than disposing of it, and with Herb Schlieve (who worked for the Leader-News over 40 years) as operator and mechanic, it was possible to accept the machine and keep it operating.
This makes the shop unique in that it is in both letter press and offset production. They still use hand set type for proofing for offset and the label imprinting business, The shop also contains a complete lire of bindery equipment.
The printing jobs run into letterheads, envelopes, statements, bruchures, programs, posters, books and pamphlets, and church bulletins.
The letter press operation is primarily earned foods labels, both complete printing and imprinting product name, ingredients, and weight on blank labels furnished by customers.
The firm has can label business customers throughout the state. At present time they are servicing approximately 400 accounts.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
