Hobart Brothers Company During World War Two
Troy, OH
1917- Current

This page added 6-10-2025.

Hobart Brothers Company began its existence in 1917 by five members of the Charles Clarence Hobart family.  They included not only Mr. Hobart, but his wife Lou Ella, and their three sons Edward, Charles, and William.  So, the company was named Hobart Brothers Company after the three sons. 

There were and are two Hobart-named companies in Troy, OH.  Mr. Charles Clarence Hobart originally formed the other Hobart Company twenty years previously in 1897 as the Hobart Electric Manufacturing Company to manufacture electric motors.  Mr. Hobart expanded his business by using the motors in several food processing pieces of equipment.  Later renamed and reorganized as the Hobart Manufacturing Company, the company became a leader in the manufacture of food processing equipment.

Mr. Hobart must have desired a different business opportunity for his three sons and founded the Hobart Brothers Company.  Its first products were dynamos, air compressors, and office furniture.  But in 1925 the company began the production of welders which then became its main product line up until World War Two.  In 1958, the company began manufacturing welding wires, which is its current product line.  The company was family owned by until 1996 when it was purchased by the Illinois Tool Works (ITW).  The production of the Hobart line of welders was moved to out of Troy and combined with Miller Electric welders, which is also owned by ITW.  Currently, Hobart Brothers Company produces welding wire and welding rods in Troy, OH.

An interesting side note to the two Troy, OH Charles Clarence Hobart started companies is that both are still in business in Troy, OH, and both are now owned by ITW. 

The Hobart Brothers Company won the Army-Navy "E" Award two times during World War Two.

It is October 6, 1942, and Mr. Edward Hobart, President of Hobart Brothers is speaking at the "E" Award presentation.  Mr. Hobart noted in his speech that the company had expanded its capacity ten times in the previous year to produce 100% products to help win World War Two.  The company employed 1,000 workers to accomplish this.   

The Hobart Brother's World War Two Products:  Table 1 shows that the company had $44,592,000 in major contracts during World War Two.  Table 2 shows that $24,015,000 or 53.9% of the contracts were for electrical generators, and $19,080,000, or 42.8% of the contracts were for welders.  The company produced generators and welders for the Army Quartermaster Corps, Army Ordnance, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Treasury Department, the U.S. Navy, and the Army Signal Corps. 

This Hobart Brothers-built M5 electrical generator set is on display at the World War II American Experience in Gettysburg, PA.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Author's photo.

TM-9-1616 explains the differences between the M5 and M6 electrical generators.  The main difference noted below is the M5 was a three phase 125 volt AC unit, and the M6 could provide both three phase and single phase 125 volt AC.  

The bottom of the paragraph 2 notes that the M5 was produced by both Hobart companies in Troy, OH.  However, while it states that the companies are not related, information presented earlier on this page noted that both companies were both started by Mr. Charles Clarence Hobart.  Also, Troy, OH is not a large town, and officials from the two companies no doubt interfaced at local business events.  There may have been Hobart family members employed at the Hobart Manufacturing Company.  Most likely when the demand for M5 generators early in World War Two exceeded the capacity of the Hobart Brothers to produce them, it recommended Hobart Manufacturing Company as a source to Army Ordnance. 

Hobart Brothers had at least one contract for the M18 generator unit.  This was contract 33008-ORD-1974 for $51,000 for Army Ordnance.  Because all of the contracts listed except this and one other don't specifically identify the type of generator the total contracts for the M18 and other generators is unknown. 

It is unknown whether other companies produced the M18.  However, for the manual the unit photographed was built by the Hobart Brothers. 

The company also produced three different electrical generator sets for the Army Signal Corps. 

Army Signal Corps contract 36039-SC-27015 for $190,000 was used to produce the PE-197.

This World War Two advertisement notes that company's welders are used in the manufacture of the B-17 bomber. 

This image shows the Hobart Brothers GR-300-S welder that it produced for the U.S. Army during World War Two.