Schwerman Trucking Co. announced the 100th anniversary of the company. A century after its founder, Fred Schwerman, Sr. built the first truck to haul agricultural products to local markets, his grandson, Jack Schwerman is proud to lead this dry bulk carrier.

Founded in 1913, Schwerman Trucking Co. will commemorate the milestone with a celebration with suppliers, customers, employees, retirees, family and other significant supporters in June at the company headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Fred Schwerman, Sr. led the company that bears his name for three decades, and he expanded the company from delivery of produce to hauling road construction materials and then began bidding on road construction jobs in Wisconsin. Later as a part of the war effort, Schwerman Trucking dedicated a large part of its fleet to hauling bomb casings for A. O. Smith.

Fred J. Schwerman gained valuable experience while working with his father, Fred Sr. and was able to apply what he had learned as he transitioned into a leadership role after his father suffered a heart attack. Later during World War II, Fred J. Schwerman designed and built the first enclosed screw tank trailer. Up to this point, dry bulk products such as cement were hauled via rail cars and over the road in individual packages. The invention provided the ability to load quickly and directly out of the cement silos, deliver directly to the construction site and unload at a much faster pace.

In the 50’s after President Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act, the cement and dry bulk transportation industry experienced explosive growth and Schwerman Trucking opened new terminals throughout the eastern half of the United States. Fred J. Schwerman took the company public in 1965.

The funds gathered as a result were used to purchase a liquid bulk hauler. By diversifying into the liquid market, Schwerman was able to reduce the impact of the seasonal and cyclical nature of the dry bulk industry.

Jack Schwerman, Fred’s son, assumed a leadership position at the young age of twenty-nine. Jack Schwerman led a majority equity share repurchase and returned Schwerman Trucking Company into the privately held, family-owned company it was founded as.

At present, Schwerman Trucking Company is part of Tankstar, USA, a holding company made up of individually operated companies, formed to provide centralized corporate office processes thereby affording cost savings and efficiencies for all its companies.

The company currently operates nationwide serving customers in all 48 contiguous states as well as Mexico and Canada.