SHELBY, Ohio — Cooper Enterprises Inc. celebrated fifty years of business Friday night at the Kehoe Center in Shelby. Their secret for lasting this long? Figuring out how to survive, said President Monty Friebel.
Friebel’s grandfather, Walter Friebel Sr. and his friend, Ray Hartman, founded Friebel & Hartman Construction in 1936. Both men were unemployed due to the national market crash a few years prior, said Monty Friebel.
Together they built a company that would later construct all of Shelby’s schools and the Mansfield News Journal building in downtown Mansfield. The business thrived because the founders were willing to change with the times, reflected Monty Friebel.
“There were a lot of ups and downs for the business. You have to change as a company and focus on staying ahead in your market. So that’s what we’ve done since then,” said Monty Friebel.
In 1965, Friebel & Hartman Construction came under new management: Monty’s father, Gerald Friebel and his son-in-law Daniel Cooper. Together they focused on the business’s existing box plant that made wooden ammunition boxes during World War II. Since then, the company was known as Cooper Enterprises Inc.
Monty Friebel’s brother, Edward Friebel, joined the company in 1989. Then, in 1991, Monty Friebel joined the company. At the time, Cooper Enterprises Inc. operated in a 12,000 square foot facility and had nine employees. The two have since grown the company together — Monty Friebel as president and Edward Friebel as vice president.
Today, the company operates as a contract fabricator, finishing jobs for businesses all over the world. They are located in Shelby at a 120,000 square foot facility and employ around 75 individuals.
“You’ve got to be willing to change with the times. We’ve been very successful in diversifying our business,” said Monty Friebel.
Instead of construction contracting and fabricating wooden ammunition boxes like it did in the past, Cooper Enterprises Inc. now does business with the recreational sector. Some of their clients include bowling alley companies and pool table companies.
Monty and Edward Friebel take pride in the fact the family has been a source of creating jobs in the Shelby area since 1936. And some of those individuals were present at the 50-year celebration Friday evening.
“But it hasn’t just been us,” he added. “We’re still trying to create jobs today. We’re not worth anything if we don’t have great people with us. They make our world rock.”
Employees, past and current, attended Friday’s celebration. Shelby’s mayor, Steve Schag, State Representative Mark Romanchuk and Richland County Commissioner Marilyn John also attended.
Romanchuk thanked Cooper Enterprises Inc.
“This is a big deal. To stay in business for this long is really quite the feat. And it’s difficult to do. Thank you for your hard work, impacting the community and for being great Americans,” said Romanchuk.
The representative also gave the company an honorary plaque, formally congratulating them for the achievement.
Monty Friebel sees the future as a bright one.
“If you would have asked me 10 years ago where we’d be, I’d be wrong. We’ve gone farther that I ever thought we would,” said Monty.
“There were a lot of ups and downs for the business. You have to change as a company and focus on staying ahead in your market. So that’s what we’ve done since then,” said Monty Friebel.
