The History of The Sheffer Corporation

Great companies are rarely built overnight. They are shaped over decades by innovation, adaptability, and an unwillingness to accept “good enough.” Since its founding in the early 1950s, The Sheffer Corporation has followed that exact path, growing from a small engineering firm into a recognized leader in hydraulic cylinder technology.

Humble Beginnings, Big Vision

The Sheffer story began in 1952, when Don and Harvey Sheffer founded Sheffer Engineering. Just four years later, the company was officially incorporated, laying the groundwork for what would become a legacy brand in precision hydraulics. By the early 1960s, Sheffer’s growth attracted the attention of the Ralph J. Stolle Company, which acquired the business and helped accelerate its expansion.

In 1967, Sheffer moved from Reading, Ohio, into a newly constructed 40,000-square-foot facility in Blue Ash, Ohio, marking a major milestone in manufacturing capability and scale. Not long after, Sheffer established a European licensee agreement, extending its reach beyond U.S. borders.

Industry Firsts That Changed the Game

Innovation has always been the engine behind Sheffer’s growth. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the company entered the nuclear cylinder market, quickly establishing itself as an industry leader. Sheffer also became the first company to install position feedback on a hydraulic cylinder, a breakthrough that reshaped expectations for performance and control.

The momentum continued through the 1970s and 1980s with multiple industry advancements, including:

• Development of the current slipper piston seal
• Expansion of manufacturing space in Cincinnati
• Establishment of a 45,000-square-foot Atlanta facility
• Redesign of the HH Series to improve longevity and serviceability
• Entry into the mobile cylinder market

These weren’t incremental improvements. They were structural changes that pushed the entire industry forward.

Expanding Capabilities and Strategic Focus

As Sheffer grew, so did its strategic clarity. The company introduced its industry-exclusive advanced configurator, developed captive cushion technology, and built a direct-to-market sales chain. In 1999, Sheffer launched the Gold Program, reinforcing its commitment to quality, reliability, and customer trust.

Sheffer’s expertise also reached beyond Earth. The company supplied cylinders for the Space Shuttle Crawler, and later partnered with Lockheed Martin to support fatigue testing for the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35). These projects weren’t marketing fluff. They were earned through engineering excellence.

At the same time, Sheffer made disciplined decisions, including exiting the mobile cylinder market in 2006, allowing the company to sharpen its focus on high-performance, mission-critical applications.

Modernization and the Future

In recent years, Sheffer has continued evolving with the industry. The company:

• Purchased its first 5-axis CNC machinery
• Established an e-commerce sales platform
• Entered ground support for the aerospace industry, supporting SpaceX and Blue Origin
• Implemented automatic robotic welding at the Atlanta facility

In 2018, Sheffer was recognized on a national stage when President Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, visited the Blue Ash facility.

Built to Last

From its founding in 1952 to today, Sheffer’s history is defined by precision, innovation, and resilience. Every expansion, every redesign, and every strategic pivot reflects a company focused on long-term performance, not short-term trends.

Seven decades later, Sheffer remains committed to the same principle it started with: building solutions that work when failure isn’t an option.