The fire trucks that roll out of 4500 Sutphen Ct. in Hilliard protect neighborhoods across central Ohio, and the family-owned company behind them marked 136 years in business on Aug. 2.
Sutphen Corporation, founded in 1890 by C.H. Sutphen, is the oldest family-owned fire apparatus manufacturer in the United States, according to the company. It operates manufacturing facilities across central Ohio, including its Dublin headquarters and plants in Hilliard and Urbana, with additional locations in Pennsylvania.
The company published a milestone announcement highlighting its central Ohio roots and the role its local plants play in serving area fire departments. The Hilliard plant has long been a production hub for custom-built aerial platforms, pumpers and heavy rescue vehicles.
Five generations at the helm
Five generations have led the company. The Sutphen family lineage stretches from founder C.H. Sutphen through his son Harry, who joined after World War I, to grandsons Tom and Bob, who ran the business through the mid-20th century. Tom's daughter Julie Sutphen Phelps and Bob's son Drew Sutphen took leadership in the 1990s, with Julie heading the Hilliard and East operations for years.
As of March 2026, the company's website lists Julie Sutphen Phelps as a board member, with fifth-generation family member Megan Phelps now serving as president of Sutphen Hilliard and East. Fifth-generation president Shelby Sutphen Chambers leads the company overall.
"Innovation and continuous improvement are at the core of Sutphen's operations and manufacturing processes. ... Every day, we pursue new opportunities to enhance and refine our apparatus, delivering solutions that empower firefighters to save lives and protect property," Chambers said in an October 2025 feature in Fire Apparatus Magazine.
Local departments, local builders
Sutphen builds custom apparatus for departments including the Columbus Division of Fire, Washington Township Fire Department in Dublin, Marysville Fire Department and Liberty Township Fire Department in Powell. The company employs between 201 and 500 people across all its facilities, according to its LinkedIn profile, though a breakdown for the Hilliard plant alone is not publicly available.
The company's announcement emphasized that many Sutphen employees live in the same communities their trucks serve. Local departments benefit from proximity to the factory through direct build-progress visits, on-site training and nearby service support.
Recent contract and labor context
Sutphen's relationship with Columbus remains active. In May 2026, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther publicly pressed city council to approve a Sutphen pump truck purchase, according to NBC4. Sutphen's bid came in at $1,263,945 with a 17- to 19-month build time, compared to $1,299,982 and 29 months from the next competitor.
The company also faced a worker strike in 2025 over labor practices, including wages that had not increased since October 2023. Workers returned, but as of May 2026 did not have a new contract, NBC4 reported.
The Columbus pump truck purchase remained before city council as of May. Sutphen workers also remain without a new labor contract.
