| Ohnsorg Truck Bodies, Inc. of Chaska, MN is a third
generation, family owned business.
The business was founded by Leonard Ohnsorg Sr, in 1934 as a black
smith shop and bus and body
company. Leonard Sr. was joined by his two sons Leonard Jr.
"Lenny" and
Leander "Andy" Ohnsorg in the late 1940's. Together they started Ohnsorg
Body Works which eventually evolved into the present name Ohnsorg
Truck Bodies, Inc.
In
1949 the three Ohnsorgs' built and moved into a new building on
Chestnut St. in downtown Chaska, MN. This is where the company
still currently operates. In their new building the
Ohnsorgs originally manufactured truck bodies and sold Studebaker
automobiles with traces of black smithing still evident.
Soon after they dropped the Studebaker line to concentrate on
building truck bodies.
In
the early 1960's Leonard Sr. retired, leaving the business
to his two sons Lenny and Andy. They ran the business
until Lenny retired in 1983 and Andy shortly after
in 1986. Andy's three sons Bob, Tom, and John
Ohnsorg took over the family business from there and the three
brothers are presently the current owners and operators.
Also
evolving over the years was the style of bodies manufactured by
the Ohnsorgs. The style has gone first from wood to steel, then to
aluminum, and now to aluminum, stainless steel, and fiberglass.
As always the Ohnsorgs' pride themselves with the quality
and workmanship of their bodies and the many other products they
now manufacture and distribute.
The
Ohnsorg brothers will be the first to say that their employees
also play a very important role when it comes to quality and
workmanship. They say all of their employees have a deep sense of achievement
when it comes to their work. The three brothers each have sons who
possibly someday could be the
fourth generation of body builders - only time will tell the story. |
