Tomahawk returns to downtown with facelift

By STEVE COLON

Expositor Editor

Tomahawk Printing has completed its relocation to downtown Wauseon and work has begun on a new facade that will enhance the appearance of the former Mustang Inc. building.

According to company president Jerry Dehnbostel, the move of equipment from Tomahawk's former home in the country was completed several weeks ago. Despite the move, there were no delays in projects for customers.

The move has expanded the space for the custom printing operation.

"We look forward to continue to be able to grow in a facility able to handle that growth," Dehnbostel said. "This is truly a one-stop shop."

Currently the operation handles numerous local and national accounts. They have not added any additional services to the operation but now have expanded capabilities for the services already provided. Those services include custom four- and two-color printing, digital services, sorting and mailing, color copies, vinyl applications and decals, among others.

Lee Robison, general manager, is excited to see the move complete and looks forward to the expanded opportunities.

"With the purchase of our new industrial mailing machine, we are able to do more of that work," he said. The company can now sort mail by Zip Code for easier, and cheaper, distribution by the postal service. "We can now show people what we can offer to help them get additional savings at the post office."

The move also provided an opportunity to help give the downtown area a facelift. The entire building's exterior has been renovated and work on the new facade began this week.

"We are proud to be a part of the downtown Wauseon community and want our building to reflect that," Dehnbostel said.

"It has been a lot of hard work up to this point, but it is all going to pay off," Robison said. "There is nowhere to go from here but up."

Tomahawk Printing merged with Mustang Inc. earlier this year and began to move its operations to the downtown location. It is also the parent company of Turkeyfoot Printing in Napoleon.

Tomahawk provides services very similar to FedEx Kinkos and is the second largest user of Xerox copier equipment in northwest Ohio., according to Tony Dehnbostel, production manager.

Tomahawk Printing started in Wauseon in 1938 on the corner of Chestnut and Fulton streets, now the home of First Federal Bank. At that point it was run out of the basement of Carl Gilson's home and called Standard Printing.

When a former school building on Co. Rds. D and 11 closed, Gilson moved his operation there in the late '40s or early '50s. In 1963, Norm Glanz bought the operation from Gilson forming Glanz Lithographing and Printing Company. Dehnbostel, already a long-time employee, became a partner in the business in 1983. He and his wife, Lita, became sole owners of the printing company in 1988 upon Glanz' passing.

"We are now back to our original home in downtown Wauseon," Dehnbostel said.