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The Logan Clay Products
Company, set amongst the rolling hills of Hocking County in Logan, Ohio,
has a rich history including a dash of old-fashioned corporate intrigue.
The beginnings of clay manufacturing at the current Logan Clay site date
back to the 1800's. Owned by stockholders in Akron during the early 1900’s,
the company buckled under the strain of the Great Depression and closed
its doors. Barton Andrew Holl, president of the then newly-organized
Logan Area Chamber of Commerce, worked with the owners to save the business.
Successful in his efforts, Holl went to work for the company in 1939
as a salesman.
In 1950, Holl executed a buy-out in the veil of shadows because the then
owners didn't want to sell to him. In order to maintain secrecy in the
small town of Logan, Ohio, in the late 40's and early 50's, meetings
were held with blinds drawn and cars hidden. With Jim Huffman, a former
United States senator, serving as an intermediary, the transaction was
completed and Holl won control of the company.
The Holl family has been active in the day-to-day operations ever since.
Holl's sons, Barton S. and Richard H. "Dick," joined the company
in the 50's and are the chairman of the board and the president and CEO,
respectively. Their sister, Elizabeth Holl Brandt, is an active board
member. Her son, Richard H. Brandt, got in the mix in 1968 and is the
executive vice president and COO. Dick Holl's step-son, Dutch Junge,
joined the company in 1973 and is currently manager of customer service
and MIS. Keeping with tradition, when Rudy Brandt started with Logan
Clay, he worked in the plant, learning the intricacies of the business
from the inside out. He represents the fourth generation in the family
business and is currently a sales representative.
Barton S., Dick Holl and Dick Brandt have followed in the footsteps of
Barton A. Holl as presidents of the Logan Area Chamber of Commerce. Dick
Holl also worked his way up the ranks at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce
to become chairman in 1985. To date, Barton A. Holl and Richard H. Holl
represent the only father and son to have both served as chairmen of
the Ohio Chamber.
The company employs materials and processes that are environmentally
friendly in the manufacture of sewer pipe for cities large and small,
including New York, Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Their product
line also includes chimney tops, flue liners and wall coping. The people
of Logan Clay are proud to say that they've achieved a consistent level
of negligible waste as a result of manufacturing. Because clay pipe is
chemically inert, it is also particularly valuable in brownfield reclamation
and industrial environments.
There have been significant changes in the pipe industry over the last
50 years. The old motto was “dilution is the solution to pollution.”
Today's mandate is “joints shall not leak.” It’s apparent
that almost nothing in the industry has remained the same as it was when
Barton A. Holl took over in 1950.
“Clay has always been the best product available. Our biggest challenge
is to communicate the difference between what was and what is,”
said Dick Holl. “When the pipe you see in the ground was installed
50 to 120 years ago, a little infiltration was a good thing! The main
method of treatment then was dilution, and infiltration was just a small
part of that process. Today’s clay is a different product for a
much different industry.”
Looking to the future with concerted efforts to continually update its
products and processes, the Logan Clay Products Company is positioned
to continue going strong. “We have survived because we’ve honored
family traditions while keeping our focus on the future. We’re utilizing
technological updates and improving our products,” Holl continued.
“We have invested to modernize our products and meet customer demand,
but we’ve been conservative in our approach. That, I feel, is why
we’ve been so successful.”
