SR0335 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0335 LRB103 32733 LAW 62518 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate the Knapheide Manufacturing Company, a family-owned and operated business located in Quincy, on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, In 1848, German immigrant Herman Heinrich Knapheide moved to Quincy and opened a wagon-making shop; he spent 42 years at the helm of the business, perfecting his wood and iron-constructed wagons and selling them to farmers, miners, and pioneers; and

WHEREAS, In 1890, his son, Henry E. Knapheide, assumed responsibility for the business as president, incorporating the company in 1893 and taking the company to new heights; he invested in steam-powered saws, drill presses, and a planning machine; he also erected a three-story factory that optimized the production process, allowed greater control in-house, standardized the wagons, and enabled workers to mass-produce parts; by the 1900s, the company's product lineup expanded to include freight wagons, merchandise "trucks", dump carts, log wagons, and a widened variety of farm wagons and "trucks"; and

WHEREAS, Under third generation owner Harold W. Knapheide, the company evolved with the times as gasoline-powered automobiles gained popularity and the need for wagons began to decline steeply; the business installed its first wooden wagon body on a Ford Model T chassis in 1910 and would continue to do so through the 1920s; the company was further impacted by the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression, causing sales to dip to $14,083.65 in 1932; to keep afloat, the business accepted more repair work and sold equipment, including straw spreaders, dump bodies, washing machines, and parts; the company was renamed the Knapheide Manufacturing Company in 1937; and

WHEREAS, Harold W. "Bud" Knapheide Jr. joined his father in the business in 1938; as a self-taught engineer, he expanded and modernized manufacturing operations; by the mid-1940s, he had developed and produced all steel-frame truck bodies, and his innovative product line was targeted to the agricultural market through an expanded distribution network; in 1954, he opened a facility in West Quincy, Missouri to increase Knapheide's manufacturing and production capacity; by 1960, nearly every farmer in the Midwest knew the Knapheide name and the farming boom in the 1970s saw an even bigger increase in demand for truck bodies; during this time, the company was the largest producer of farm truck bodies in the country; and

WHEREAS, Harold W. "Knap" Knapheide, the fifth generation owner, was tested early in his career; despite success through the company's all-steel agricultural product line, including grain bodies and livestock racks, the West Quincy facility was flooded by the nearby Mississippi River in 1973, proving quite costly; the business persisted through temporary facilities in Quincy, until total production was restored some 90 days later at the original location; Knap was made president in 1978, and he was noted for pioneering both targeted and creative marketing initiatives that led the company to great success; he was further tested when the agriculture market crashed in the 1980s, and then again when the West Quincy facility flooded a second time in 1993; despite these setbacks, Knap made a decision that had a profound impact on the company's future, constructing a new 480,000 square feet, state of the art truck manufacturing facility; since moving to the new facility, the business has continued to improve their customer service, manufacturing processes, design technology, team building, distribution networks, and product lines; and

WHEREAS, Harold W. "Bo" Knapheide IV, the sixth generation owner, took over Knapheide in 2018 with a focus on continued growth, expansion, and new markets; that same year, the company opened an additional manufacturing facility, dedicated to aluminum body production, just south of the company's headquarters; during his tenure, he has been instrumental in diversifying product offerings, including the Industrial Products line, while also encouraging the importance of customization; and

WHEREAS, Since 1848, Knapheide has provided customers with high quality, work-ready transportation solutions through determination, innovation, and family values, setting them apart as the industry leader; today, the company is North America's most popular manufacturer of work truck bodies and truck beds, with more work trucks on the road today with "Knapheide" stamped on them than any other manufacturer; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Knapheide Manufacturing Company on the occasion of its 175th anniversary, and we wish the company continued success in the years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to President and CEO Harold W. "Bo" Knapheide IV of Knapheide Manufacturing Company as an expression of our esteem and respect.