Walter Behlen
Encyclopedia
Walter Dietrich Behlen was born on a small farm near Columbus, Nebraska
. He was the second of nine children born to Fred and Ella Behlen. His high school education was interrupted by illness, but he returned to school at age 20, and received his diploma at age 23. He married Ruby Cumming in 1940; the couple had two children.
Behlen began his industrial career and the Behlen Manufacturing Company as a one-man operation in 1936. While working as a railway express man, he began producing steel toe caps for wooden-soled industrial shoes using various hand tools, a grinder poured from scrap metal, and a homemade forge he had installed in his garage workshop. During this time he also invented a lid clamp for wooden egg cases, which became "the first of a long line of products completely designed and fabricated in our factory." This part-time operation continued until 1941 when Walter and his father, Fred, began manufacturing small products as a full-time occupation. They were joined by Walter's brothers, H.P. "Mike" Behlen and G.E. "Gib" Behlen in 1946. The 1946 product line included the Behlen corn crib
, portable farm grain dryers, and grain tanks.
The Behlen Manufacturing Company's best-known product was the frameless steel building
system that it developed in 1950. This system employed deeply corrugated steel panels, which could be assembled to form a complete load-bearing shell without any supporting frame. In 1955, a Behlen building survived an atomic blast test at Operation Cue in the Nevada desert. This building was put on display at the 1955 Nebraska State Fair
. Behlen buildings can be found all over the United States, as well as in many foreign countries. Behlen's 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) facility in Columbus
employed some 1100 people at its height. A nationwide network of five hundred builders marketed the company's product.
In 1969, Behlen Manufacturing Company became a subsidiary of the Wickes Corporation of Saginaw, Michigan
. This arrangement continued until 1984, when the local management bought the company through a leveraged buyout
. The company continued to be locally owned.
Among the awards and honors he received over many years of business and civic service, Behlen earned the Horatio Alger Award in 1968, the first Nebraskan to be so honored. He was granted honorary doctorates from the University of Nebraska, Midland College
, and Doane College
. Walter Behlen died on July 26, 1994.
Columbus, Nebraska
Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...
. He was the second of nine children born to Fred and Ella Behlen. His high school education was interrupted by illness, but he returned to school at age 20, and received his diploma at age 23. He married Ruby Cumming in 1940; the couple had two children.
Behlen began his industrial career and the Behlen Manufacturing Company as a one-man operation in 1936. While working as a railway express man, he began producing steel toe caps for wooden-soled industrial shoes using various hand tools, a grinder poured from scrap metal, and a homemade forge he had installed in his garage workshop. During this time he also invented a lid clamp for wooden egg cases, which became "the first of a long line of products completely designed and fabricated in our factory." This part-time operation continued until 1941 when Walter and his father, Fred, began manufacturing small products as a full-time occupation. They were joined by Walter's brothers, H.P. "Mike" Behlen and G.E. "Gib" Behlen in 1946. The 1946 product line included the Behlen corn crib
Corn crib
A corn crib or corncrib is a type of granary used to dry and store corn. It is also known as a cornhouse or corn house, though this term can refer to any granary....
, portable farm grain dryers, and grain tanks.
The Behlen Manufacturing Company's best-known product was the frameless steel building
Steel building
A steel building is a metal structure fabricated with steel for the internal support and for exterior cladding, as opposed to steel framed buildings which generally use other materials for floors, walls, and external envelope. Steel buildings are used for a variety of purposes including storage,...
system that it developed in 1950. This system employed deeply corrugated steel panels, which could be assembled to form a complete load-bearing shell without any supporting frame. In 1955, a Behlen building survived an atomic blast test at Operation Cue in the Nevada desert. This building was put on display at the 1955 Nebraska State Fair
Nebraska State Fair
The Nebraska State Fair is a state fair held annually in Grand Island. It is an approximately ten-day event; since the early 1990s, the fair ends on Labor Day. Prior to 2010, the fair was held in Lincoln, Nebraska.-History:...
. Behlen buildings can be found all over the United States, as well as in many foreign countries. Behlen's 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) facility in Columbus
Columbus, Nebraska
Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...
employed some 1100 people at its height. A nationwide network of five hundred builders marketed the company's product.
In 1969, Behlen Manufacturing Company became a subsidiary of the Wickes Corporation of Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
. This arrangement continued until 1984, when the local management bought the company through a leveraged buyout
Leveraged buyout
A leveraged buyout occurs when an investor, typically financial sponsor, acquires a controlling interest in a company's equity and where a significant percentage of the purchase price is financed through leverage...
. The company continued to be locally owned.
Among the awards and honors he received over many years of business and civic service, Behlen earned the Horatio Alger Award in 1968, the first Nebraskan to be so honored. He was granted honorary doctorates from the University of Nebraska, Midland College
Midland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
, and Doane College
Doane College
Doane College is a private liberal arts college in Crete, Nebraska, United States, with additional campuses located in Lincoln and Grand Island.-History:...
. Walter Behlen died on July 26, 1994.
External links
- Behlen Mfg. Co. website
- NebraskaStudies.Org website about Operation Cue