Work Wear Corporation, Inc.

The Work Wear Corporation, Inc. was founded in 1915 by Samuel Rosenthal (1885-1957) as the Cleveland Overall Company. Originally selling to retail stores, the company soon switched its focus in 1921 to garment rental, providing rental uniforms directly to companies. Another successful innovation was to assure renters adequate industrial laundry capacity to clean rented garments. The company accomplished this by providing capitalizing and technical support to industrial laundries in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, and Buffalo, and then throughout the nation. By the 1940s, the company also produced work apparel for men and women including service uniforms, coveralls, jackets, pants, shirts, aprons, and blouses. Under Leighton Rosenthal (1914-2003), son of founder Samuel Rosenthal, Cleveland Overall became the publicly held Work Wear Corporation in 1961. In the 1960s, Work Wear continued its expansion, in 1968 acquiring the Belgian garment manufacturer Van Moer and in 1969 purchasing Mars Manufacturing Company, a domestic producer of disposable products. In 1968, Work Wear's acquisition of industrial laundries opened it to charges of violating the Clayton Anti-Trust Act, resulting in its divestiture of its American industrial laundries in 1977 and the incorporation of ARA Services to provide for rental services. During this shakeup, the company also changed its name to Work Wear Corporation, Incorporated. Work Wear continued to hold accounts to provide uniforms to many companies, including AT&T, Ford, and Toyota. By the 1980s, Work Wear had divisions in Canada, Mexico, Belgium, France, Malta, England, and West Germany, in addition to minority ownership in the Japanese firm Sani-Kleen. Work Wear also increased its presence in the medical disposable field during this time through its White Knight Division, acquired in 1981. In 1985 the company had revenues of $260 million and employed over 6,600 people worldwide. In 1986, Work Wear was acquired by Paine Webber Capital, a subsidiary of Paine Webber Group, Inc. After 75 years in Cleveland, Work Wear moved its corporate offices in 1990 to Greensboro, North Carolina.

From the description of Work Wear Corporation, Inc. records, series II, ca. 1940s-1996. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 762830200

The Work Wear Corporation, Inc. was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1915 by Samuel Rosenthal (1885-1957) as the Cleveland Overall Company. Originally selling to retail stores, the company soon switched its focus in 1921 to garment rental, providing rental uniforms directly to companies. Another successful innovation was to assure renters adequate industrial laundry capacity to clean rented garments. The company accomplished this by providing capitalizing and technical support to industrial laundries in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, and Buffalo, and then throughout the nation. By the 1940s, the company also produced work apparel for men and women including service uniforms, coveralls, jackets, pants, shirts, aprons, and blouses.

Under Leighton Rosenthal (1914-2003), son of founder Samuel Rosenthal, Cleveland Overall became the publicly held Work Wear Corporation in 1961. In the 1960s, Work Wear continued its expansion, in 1968 acquiring the Belgian garment manufacturer Van Moer and in 1969 purchasing Mars Manufacturing Company, a domestic producer of disposable products. In 1968, Work Wear's acquisition of industrial laundries opened it to charges of violating the Clayton Anti-Trust Act, resulting in its divestiture of its American industrial laundries in 1977 and the incorporation of ARA Services to provide for rental services. During this shakeup, the company also changed its name to Work Wear Corporation, Incorporated. Work Wear continued to hold accounts to provide uniforms to many companies, including AT&T, Ford, and Toyota. By the 1980s, Work Wear had divisions in Canada, Mexico, Belgium, France, Malta, England, and West Germany, in addition to minority ownership in the Japanese firm Sani-Kleen. Work Wear also increased its presence in the medical disposable field during this time through its White Knight Division, acquired in 1981. In 1985 the company had revenues of $260 million and employed over 6,600 people worldwide. In 1986, Work Wear was acquired by Paine Webber Capital, a subsidiary of Paine Webber Group, Inc. After 75 years in Cleveland, Work Wear moved its corporate offices in 1990 to Greensboro, North Carolina.

Click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Work Wear Corporation, Inc.

From the guide to the Work Wear Corporation, Inc. Records, Series II, 1940-1996, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

The Work Wear Corporation was founded as the Cleveland Overall Company by Samuel Rosenthal in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1915. The company manufactured industrial work clothes. In 1919 Rosenthal bought the National Railroad Overall Company which made bib overalls and other work garments. In the early 1920s the enlarged Cleveland Overall Company developed an approach locally that later transformed the uniform industry nationally by making stylish, functional work garments available on a rental basis. Another successful innovation was to assure renters adequate industrial laundry capacity to clean rented garments. The company accomplished this by providing capitalizing and technical support to industrial laundries in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, and Buffalo, and then throughout the nation. Although many competitors entered the uniform manufacturing and service field following World War II, Cleveland Overall retained its leadership position in the industry, expanding its line to include coveralls, pants, shirts, shop coats, jackets, women's work clothes, and protective clothing.

In 1961, under Leighton Rosenthal, son of the founder, Cleveland Overall became the publicly held Work Wear Inc., again changing its name in 1976 to Work Wear Corporation, Inc. In the 1960s Work Wear acquired a number of laundries leading in 1968 to charges of violation of the Clayton Anti-Trust Act. As a consequence, the company divested itself of its thirty-one domestic laundries in 1977, retaining direct ownership of its Canadian and other foreign facilities. To continue its role as preeminent manufacturer of career apparel, Work Wear acquired manufacturers of work and leisure clothing, as well as companies making disposable hospital supplies. Paine Webber Capital, a subsidiary of Paine Webber Group, Inc. of New York City, acquired Work Wear in March 1986.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Work Wear Corporation click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Samuel Rosenthal

From the guide to the Work Wear Corporation, Inc., Records, 1961-1986, (Western Reserve Historical Society)