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History/Profile
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 Ed
Waylander left the family farm in Grove
City, Minnesota in 1933, to move to
Minneapolis, where he founded the
Waylander-Peterson Steel Erection
Company. Ed’s business enjoyed many
successful years, traveling the country
to erect bridges, buildings and power
plants. This was the start of a family
tradition that continues today as Sowles
Co.
Larry Sowles came home from World War
II, where he served as a Corsair F4-U
pilot on the Pacific Front, to his new
bride Coralis Waylander and to the
family business. Larry gained valuable
experience working for Waylander-Peterson
Steel Erection Company. Larry’s vision,
to own his own company, became a reality
when he founded L.H. Sowles Co. in 1961,
after Waylander-Peterson Steel Erection
Company was dissolved.
L.H. Sowles Co. began in Larry’s
basement. As the company grew, it moved
to a small building in South
Minneapolis, near downtown. In 1968,
Larry was able to negotiate the steel
erection contract for the IDS Tower (57
Story Structural Steel Project), in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. This magnificent
office building rises hundreds of feet
above the Minneapolis skyline.
Since this time, Sowles Co. has
participated in every major high-rise
project in the Minneapolis and St. Paul
area, as well as power plants, medical
buildings, government and military
projects throughout the Midwest. Sowles
Co. has also erected numerous long span
and special structures, such as sports
arenas, convention centers and aircraft
maintenance hangers.
Larry named his son, Dan, as President
of Sowles Co. in 1990. Dan has a long
history with the company, working since
1972 in various capacities – yard hand,
crane operator and ironworker before
moving into the office. Dan’s earlier
experience has benefited him as he
progressed into supervision and
management responsibilities. Dan is
continuing the tradition started in
1933.
Sowles Co. now serves the entire Upper
Midwest, The Rocky Mountain Area, The
Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
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Sowles First Office |
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