Muskegon manufacturer carries forward a 125-year legacy

In 1900, Charles Wyatt Marsh found himself out of work, with a wife and young daughter to support. 

Instead of leaving Muskegon in search of new opportunities, he started his own business. Working out of his kitchen, he began crafting leather seals, a product that remains the cornerstone of the Marsh family business 125 years later.

C.W. Marsh grew his enterprise, eventually moving it to a larger facility, at 1385 Hudson St., in 1907, where the company still operates today. 

“The company turned 125 on New Year’s Day,” says Dan Wehrwein, the great-great-grandson of C.W. Marsh and the current steward of Muskegon’s oldest family-owned manufacturing plant. 

At its peak, the company employed 35 workers, and while that number has decreased to 15, C.W. Marsh remains a vital part of Muskegon’s industrial landscape.

“It’s rare in this day and age to see a company reach historic milestones of 125 years in business and five generations of family ownership,” says Greg King, director of economic development for Greater Muskegon Economic Development. “We’re thrilled to have a company like that here in Muskegon in C.W. Marsh.” 

Niche, but vital, product

The company’s handcrafted leather seals are essential for hydraulic and pneumatic equipment. They are still made using traditional methods, though the company has introduced innovative treatments to enhance durability.

The leather seals, used in water wells, paint sprayers, and other equipment, rely on the natural properties of leather. 

“Leather swells when introduced to water, creating an excellent seal,” Wehrwein explains. 

This makes it ideal for agricultural applications, where seals often go 2,000 feet underground, and for paint sprayers, where leather holds up against the abrasive properties of latex paint.

But some customers have rare applications for the product. For example, C.W. Marsh is working with the Hoover Dam to rebuild its original valves. 

“They had leather seals because they were built before synthetics were common. They told us we were the only company that could make the seals the way the originals were,” says Wehrwein. 

The products also have space-age applications, with C.W. Marsh making seals for NASA. 

“Leather performs exceptionally well in extreme cold, unlike synthetics that shrink or lose their sealing properties,” Wehrwein says. 

Wehrwein attributes his love for the business to his grandfather, James Bradbury, who devoted his life to the business, working there for nearly 70 years.

When Bradbury died in 2013, he entrusted the company to Wehrwein, who, in addition to overseeing the family business, has a PhD and works as a mechanical engineer for General Motors.

Deep community ties

For Wehrwein, continuing the business is about more than just family tradition. 

“We’re proud to employ people in Muskegon. We have an incredible crew, with some employees who have been with us for 40 years. They’re the backbone of this company,” he says. 

The Marsh family’s ties to Muskegon extend beyond the factory walls. Marsh led the construction of Marsh Field, now home to the Muskegon Clippers, who play in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. It opened in 1916, and Marsh donated it to the city soon after. 

The company founder was a passionate baseball fan. During World War II, the field hosted the Muskegon Lassies, an all-female baseball team from the league that inspired the 1992 film “A League of Their Own.” The surrounding neighborhood is still known as the Marsh Field neighborhood.

“Companies like C.W. Marsh are a testament to the legacy of manufacturing, innovation, and community stewardship here along the Lakeshore and in Muskegon County,” King says. “I can’t wait to see what the next 125 years will look like for them.”

Inside the Marsh factory, the past and present coexist. Original machinery from the early 1900s still hums alongside modern computerized lathes. 

“We still use two functional line shafts from the original factory. They’re not just there for heritage. They’re part of our daily operations,” Wehrwein says.

While the business remains steady, Wehrwein is working to grow it. 

“My passion is to keep this business viable, keep it in the family, and continue providing jobs in Muskegon.”