Austin Company

The Austin Company (f. 1878), a carpentry and contracting business, was founded by Samuel Austin (1850-1936), a young carpenter who had left his native England for the United States after hearing about the Chicago fire of 1872, expecting that the city would need skilled craftsmen to help it rebuild. After stopping in Cleveland, Ohio, to visit friends from his hometown, Austin decided to settle in Cleveland instead. He quickly became known for quality work, and in 1904 he and his son Wilbert J. Austin (1876-1940) incorporated as The Samuel Austin & Son Company, an engineering and construction firm focused mainly on industrial plant projects. Their first major construction project was the National Electric Lamp Association in East Cleveland in 1912. During this period, Wilbert J. Austin devised "The Austin Method," a unique bundling of engineering, construction and design services intended to streamline the building process. In 1914, Austin & Son introduced four prefabricated building plans for clients to choose from; this added a new dimension of efficiency to the construction process. In 1916, the company name was changed to The Austin Company, Engineers and Builders. Wilbert J. Austin also devised the "Controlled Conditions" plant, which was a major improvement over the hot, stifling factory environment of the day. Such a plant controlled factors like light, noise, temperature, and humidity to create a better working environment and reduce production costs.

The efficiency of The Austin Method ensured that The Austin Company grew rapidly during World War I, as the defense industry burgeoned. Following the end of the war, Austin opened its first overseas office in Paris, France, to take advantage of Europe's need to rebuild. The Austin Company also opened several field offices in the United States during this period.

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