Ludlow

The History of Ludlow Composites Corp.

Crown Rubber Company

Crown Rubber Company was established in 1943 in Fremont, Ohio by Robert P. Johnson. Originally located on the 1600 block of Croghan Street in Fremont in a 31,000 square foot warehouse.

The primary function of the company was to mill rubber for the military services as a subcontractor to major rubber companies. After the war, Crown Rubber became a leading supplier of rubber stair treads and utility rubber mats.

In 1961, the company relocated to the present facility in the Kessler Industrial Park in Fremont at 2100 Commerce Drive. Crown Rubber Company was the first company to build in the industrial park, with a 62,000 square foot facility.

Crown Rubber Company operated to manufacture primarily foam products that were utilized in shoe and women's shapewear.

In 1963, Crown Rubber Company invented the vinyl foam anti-fatigue mat.

Crown Industries and Ludlow Composites

Crown Industries

In 1970, Crown Rubber Company was acquired by Ludlow Corp. a subsidiary of Tyco Corporation. The company was then renamed Crown Industries.

In 1976, the company closed the Croghan Street operations and moved all manufacturing and office space to the industrial park where the facility is currently located at 2100 Commerce Drive.

Our building front doesn't look much different today!

Ludlow Composites Corp.

In 1984, the company was purchased from Ludlow Corp. with funding from Goergen and Sterling, a Stamford, Connecticut private equity firm, and members of the management team at Crown Industries. The company was renamed Ludlow Composites Corp., and Richard M. Steigerwald was named President and CEO.

Brand Divisions for the matting and foam operations were developed.
The foam division operated under the Ludlow name and the matting division operated under the Crown Mats and Matting name.

In 1993, the company celebrated 50 years in business! It's hard to believe we're celebrating 80 years today.

In 1994, the company expanded its operations to MatTech in Granby, Quebec, and opened a second manufacturing facility in the Kessler Industrial Park in Fremont.

Ludlow Composites Corporation was awarded a patent for Zedlan Foam in the same year that Mat-A-Dor Company was purchased out of Des Moines, Iowa and a fingertip mat was added to the product line.

In 2003, the company expanded the main facility and consolidated both operations in the Fremont Industrial Park to 2100 Commerce Drive.

In 2009, Ludlow Corporation was named Ohio's Exporter of The Year for small-to-medium-sized businesses at the eawards.