A Glimpse into Sutphen’s Legacy

The lobby of Sutphen’s new 185,000-square-foot manufacturing facility pays homage to the family-owned company’s storied history while being a physical representation of its future for generations to come.

Everything about Sutphen’s new 185,000-square-foot facility is impressive — its size, its scope, its sleek red line along the building and its flashy red firehouse doors. This isn’t just another big-box warehouse or distribution center; it was purposefully constructed to build fire trucks, evident from the moment you lay eyes on the massive facility.

As you pass through its flashy exterior doors, beyond the fire truck reception desk and to the left of the Sutphen gear store, you’ll find the customer welcome and reception lobby.

Adorning the lobby’s walls is a timeline that highlights the inception of the family-owned business in 1890, critical milestones throughout the decades and even showcases the opening of the new facility itself. It’s not just a timeline of Sutphen history but a journey through fire history: a history the Sutphen family has been a part of nearly every step of the way.

Fire enthusiasts and casual observers alike will ‘ooh and awe’ at the unique story of the Sutphen family and the three impressive pieces of firefighting antiquity showcased in the space.

Within the lobby, three pieces of fire equipment, originally sold by Sutphen’s founder C.H. Sutphen in 1907, are on display. These three pieces, on permanent loan from the City of Dearborn Fire Department (a suburban Detroit fire department), include a hand pumper, extinguisher cart and hose cart.

We look forward to sharing more with you about each one of these unique antiques in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back for more!

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