Toledo Scale
Many Toledoans have heard at one time or another (or even seen) Toledo Scale, but many don’t even know much about the man behind the scale or the scale itself, other than it says TOLEDO within the face.
Toledo scale has its origins that date back to 1897 when ALLEN DeVILBISS Jr., a Toledo Man, invented a spring-less scale that was unique back in its day.
On the 24th of January 1899, Allen patents his automatic scale invention and establishes the DeVilbiss Scale Company.
This scale, while it was a vast improvement in any other scale on the market at its time, it would take another person to make Allen DeVilbiss Jr.’s scale a household name.
In 1901, Henry Theobald, having risen through the ranks at National Cash Register Company (NCR) in Dayton, Ohio, had quickly become general manager It was in this position that Henry made a fateful decision to change one of the NCRs manufacturing processes. The problem with his decision was that he didn’t get approval from John Patterson, the founder of the company, and as a result, Patterson fired Henry.
Henry Theobald
Henry, being just 31 years old, had acquired more than a few good business skills during this time at NCR. He knew that if he could find the right product, he could make it successful. That product was Allen DeVilbiss Jr’s new scale.
Henry setup a manufacturing facility in 1901 after acquiring the patent for the new scale. He hired Allen as the first factory manager to oversee the production of his invention. The name of this new company was Toledo Computing Scale and Cash Register Company (perhaps the name was a dig at his former employer). The following year, they changed the name of the company to Toledo Computing Scale Company, and in 1912 they again renamed the company this time to the Toledo Scale Company.
One of the guiding tenants of the new scale company was service. Not only did they set up service facilities at the manufacturing plant, but they also trained men to service their scales in the field, to keep their equipment in top operating condition so necessary for the accurate measurements their customers demanded.
In just 10 years Toledo Scales dominated the market and still young Henry had sold more than 75,000 scales. Toledo Scales would remain in Toledo until 1975 when the headquarters were moved after the company was purchased by an outside buyer.