Sauer System (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)
complishment and I’m so very proud and thankful to our employees and retirees, many of whom are celebrating with us today,” said Warren Sauer, who will be celebrating his 50th year with the company in 2027. “I plan on con- tinuing indefinitely, or at least until Peter kicks me out,” he said with a chuckle. Warren was referring to his son, Peter Sauer, Vice President of Sales, the fourth generation of the Sauer family to continue the now century old tradition of “always adapting, transforming and extending our prod- ucts and markets.” Challenges And Obstacles Overcome No company survives for a century without its chal- lenges. Lou Jr. passed away in 2004 and his brother Rob- ert in 2016. They left their respective indelible marks on the company, most notably with their innovative and for- ward-thinking leadership talents instilled in them by their father and passed to Warren and Peter, the current and future standard bearers of the company. The financial crisis of 2008 did not spare Sauer System. Declining work volumes created some challenges, but cash reserves wisely accumulated in the “boom years,” combined with a diversified customer base, kept the com- pany from swimming in red ink like so many others. As the economy recovered, so did the corrugated industry and work volumes eventually returned to pre-recession growth. In 2020, less than a decade later, the Covid pandemic impacted Sauer System as it did every other global busi- ness, many of which suffered major disruptions and clo- sures. Being an “essential business,” however, Sauer Sys-
brothers continued to manufacture innovative products for the growing number of corrugated box makers and the
company soon outgrew its facilities in downtown St. Lou- is and moved its operations to Tree Court Industrial Park in West St. Louis County in 1966, the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding. As successful as they were, Lou Jr. and Robert could not have envisioned yet another 50 years of innovative successes, the culmination of which re- sulted in a 100-year anniversary celebration that was held on a bright and sunny May 14, 2026. In 1977, Robert’s son, Warren, joined the company. Having had the family business in his blood, Warren in- Sauer System Vice President of Sales, Peter Sauer, right, with Tisha Allen, the author of the Sauer System history book and the granddaughter of Lou Sauer, Jr.
Guests at the Sauer System 100th Anniversary celebration event were treated to a catered barbecue lunch, live entertainment and the camaraderie of friends, retirees and fellow employees.
fused his interest and expertise in machine technology into Sauer System’s future and the company’s first numer- ically controlled machines and tools, which led to further improvements in productivity. In 1989, the company pur- chased its first Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) laser cutting system, becoming one of the early adopters of laser cutting technology in the St. Louis area. This led to a surge in business both within and outside of the corru- gated industry, including an automotive industry supplier, whose volume of work required a 24/7 work schedule for several years. “Obviously, 100 years of success is a remarkable ac- 20 June 1, 2026
tem worked overtime as the demand for corrugated boxes driven by the increase in ecommerce boomed. As they al- ways seem to do for forward-thinking entrepreneurs, new opportunities presented themselves. As the quality of paper used for making boxes gener- ally began to suffer due to its increased recycled paper content, it became more difficult to score and fold boxes effectively using existing technology. To address the is- sue, Sauer System developed and successfully marketed new scoring profiles and folding section upgrades while expanding its footprint to approximately 100,000-square-
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