Kroehler Manufacturing Company

=== Height of the company ===

=== Height of the company ===

On July 1, 1927, the [[Valentine-Seaver Company]] was purchased at a cost of $3,500,000. The company specialized in high-grade upholstered furniture and was located on the northwest side of Chicago. Luce Furniture Shops, of Grand Rapids, was purchased in 1930. With the purchase came the development of dining room and bedroom furniture in the Kroehler Catalog. During the [[Great Depression]], the Kroehler Company was not without its financial troubles. As a response, Peter advertised the quality construction of his furniture to appeal to cost-conscious buyers, and offered incentives to stores to inspire creative window displays and increase sales.<ref name=":1" /> In 1938, Peter stepped down from the position of president, and was elected Chairman of the Board Kroehler Manufacturing Company and his son, Delmar Leroy Kroehler, became president.<ref name=":0" /> In the middle of the 1940s, Kroehler was the second-largest furniture maker in the United States with over $20 million in annual sales.<ref name=":2" /> During [[World War II|WWII]], the Kroehler Company suffered issues in getting raw materials due to rationing. As a result, they pursued contracts from the government for war work, making things like filing cabinets and duffel bags. From August 1946 to January 1947, the company suffered from its largest worker strike, with over 2500 employees protesting for higher wages. The strike cost the company over 1 million dollars.<ref name=":1" /> On April 25, 1946, a [[Naperville train disaster|nearby train accident]] in Naperville occurred in response to which over 800 Kroehler employees helped rescue survivors and assist in the wreckage. The west end of the factory was turned into a makeshift triage area. Some of the beds that the company made were used as temporary hospital beds.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Baker|first=Suzanne|title=Two trains, one tragedy: Remembering the deadly wreck that shook Naperville 75 years ago|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-75th-train-disaster-1946-naperville-anniversary-st-20210423-pni4ic3lvrfftpua23syso7tue-story.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=chicagotribune.com|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206044005/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-75th-train-disaster-1946-naperville-anniversary-st-20210423-pni4ic3lvrfftpua23syso7tue-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the mid 1950s, the company was delivering over 128 truckloads of furniture a day.<ref name=":1" /> In the 1960s, the company employed close to 8,000 people around the country, and their annual revenues passed $100 million.<ref name=":2" />

On July 1, 1927, the [[Valentine-Seaver Company]] was purchased at a cost of $3,500,000. The company specialized in high-grade upholstered furniture and was located on the northwest side of Chicago. Luce Furniture Shops, of Grand Rapids, was purchased in 1930. With the purchase came the development of dining room and bedroom furniture in the Kroehler Catalog. During the [[Great Depression]], the Kroehler Company was not without its financial troubles. As a response, Peter advertised the quality construction of his furniture to appeal to cost-conscious buyers, and offered incentives to stores to inspire creative window displays and increase sales.<ref name=":1" /> In 1938, Peter stepped down from the position of president, and was elected Chairman of the Board of the Kroehler Manufacturing Company and his son, Delmar Leroy Kroehler, became president.<ref name=":0" /> In the middle of the 1940s, Kroehler was the second-largest furniture maker in the United States with over $20 million in annual sales.<ref name=":2" /> During [[World War II|WWII]], the Kroehler Company suffered issues in getting raw materials due to rationing. As a result, they pursued contracts from the government for war work, making things like filing cabinets and duffel bags. From August 1946 to January 1947, the company suffered from its largest worker strike, with over 2500 employees protesting for higher wages. The strike cost the company over 1 million dollars.<ref name=":1" /> On April 25, 1946, a [[Naperville train disaster|nearby train accident]] in Naperville occurred in response to which over 800 Kroehler employees helped rescue survivors and assist in the wreckage. The west end of the factory was turned into a makeshift triage area. Some of the beds that the company made were used as temporary hospital beds.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Baker|first=Suzanne|title=Two trains, one tragedy: Remembering the deadly wreck that shook Naperville 75 years ago|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-75th-train-disaster-1946-naperville-anniversary-st-20210423-pni4ic3lvrfftpua23syso7tue-story.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=chicagotribune.com|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206044005/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-75th-train-disaster-1946-naperville-anniversary-st-20210423-pni4ic3lvrfftpua23syso7tue-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the mid 1950s, the company was delivering over 128 truckloads of furniture a day.<ref name=":1" /> In the 1960s, the company employed close to 8,000 people around the country, and their annual revenues passed $100 million.<ref name=":2" />

=== Decline and present day ===

=== Decline and present day ===