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Jim Buchwald, circa 1950s, with his motorcycle, a 1948 Ariel Square Four, after which Ariel Corporation was eventually named.
Jim Buchwald (right) with his daughter, Karen Wright (center), and his grandson, Alex Wright (left), circa 2012. The trio represents 56 years of Ariel Corporation ownership.
Jim Buchwald standing next to the prototype compressor that started it all, an Ariel JG2, known as Serial No. 1, now on display at Ariel Corporation's world headquarters in Mount Vernon.
Jim Buchwald (right) with his daughter, Karen Wright (left), at Ariel Corporation's world headquarters in Mount Vernon.
(Left) Jim and Maureen Buchwald are pictured in 1957 with their daughter, Karen, who would eventually lead Ariel Corporation as its CEO from 2001 to 2021. (Right) Jim, in the 1970s, would continue to design until his retirement.
MOUNT VERNON -- Jim Buchwald began Ariel Corporation in his Mount Vernon basement in 1966. He had an Atlas lathe; a small, hand-cranked rotary table; and a vertical drill.
Fifty-six years later, the company is not only Knox County's largest employer, but also the world’s leading manufacturer of reciprocating separable natural gas compressors, serving as a key cog in the global energy industry.
It has remained in Mount Vernon, despite its global success, and has remained a family business. The company's leadership has continued to invest in the community, serving as a philanthropic leader in efforts to move Mount Vernon and Knox County forward.
Buchwald died Tuesday at the age of 94, Ariel Corporation said Wednesday in a statement. He passed peacefully, at Knox Community Hospital, with his family by his side.
The legacy he left behind, according to local and state officials, was one of honor and integrity – hard work, selflessness, and the epitomization of the American dream.
"My grandfather did many things in his life, but Ariel was undoubtedly his pride and joy," Alex Wright, Buchwald's grandson and Ariel Corporation's current president, said Wednesday.
"He loved this place, the compressors that we make, and the people that make it great. Even after he retired, the company was never far from his thoughts. It was rare for me to speak with him without getting some question on the company or the industry.
"He treasured his time here, and especially loved to match wits with our design engineers, to understand what they were doing, and why, to make sure that we continue to uphold the high standards that he set."
FROM THE GROUND UP: Buchwald, a Cleveland native, began his career in the natural gas industry in the early 1950s. After several stops, he decided to forge his own path – and meet a market opportunity in the process.
"As the industry developed, Jim became convinced that an opportunity existed to build a smaller, more cost effective compressor, to fill a niche not served by any of the existing compressor OEMs," Ariel Corporation stated Wednesday.
"His belief in this opportunity led him to design the Ariel JG, a small, high-speed compressor prototype that would launch Ariel Corporation in 1966."
MORE: Click here to read a detailed account of Buchwald's personal and professional life – as well as the history of the Ariel Corporation, from 1966-present
Past professional relationships brought Buchwald to Mount Vernon, where he started Ariel Corporation alongside two longtime industry colleagues, Jim Doane and George Woodman (Buchwald named the company after his 1948 Ariel Square Four motorcycle).
They worked out of Buchwald's basement, a former turkey processing plant in Bellville, a former car dealership in downtown Mount Vernon, and a 12,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on Newark Road before moving to the company's current world headquarters, a 60,000-square-foot facility on Blackjack Road, in 1978.
(Left) Jim and Maureen Buchwald are pictured in 1957 with their daughter, Karen, who would eventually lead Ariel Corporation as its CEO from 2001 to 2021. (Right) Jim, in the 1970s, would continue to design until his retirement.
The business went through a slump in the 1980s, according to its website. It was Buchwald's innovation and bravery that not only kept it afloat, but took it to new heights.
"Within a few years of moving into the brand new Blackjack Road facility, the compressor market went into a terrible slump and, by 1986, Ariel was forced to lay off nearly three quarters of its employees," the company's website states.
"By this time, Ariel had begun to receive acquisition overtures from larger competitors. One such company informed Jim Buchwald and his partners that if their purchase offer was rejected, they would copy Ariel's product line and put them out of business.
"Jim turned the tables on them by moving into their mid-range product market in a move that would change the trajectory of Ariel."
Jim Buchwald, circa 1950s, with his motorcycle, a 1948 Ariel Square Four, after which Ariel Corporation was eventually named.
The business continued to grow throughout the late-1980s and 1990s, eventually becoming "a top-tier supplier to the global energy industry," according to the company's website. Ariel Corporation expanded its product line to include larger and more powerful compressors during this time.
Doane and Woodman sold their shares of the company in 1992, but Buchwald remained, helping shepherd Ariel Corporation into the 21st century. The Buchwald family eventually purchased Doane's and Woodman's shares, consolidating ownership and transitioning Ariel Corporation into a full-fledged family business.
Buchwald stepped down in 1998 after 32 years at the helm. His daughter, Karen (Buchwald) Wright, took over in 2001 as the company's next president.
"During (Jim's) tenure, Ariel set new standards for reliability and cost-effectiveness, bringing nearly 20 compressor models to market. He took the company from a small start up to a modern manufacturer, overseeing the design and production of every unit from the prototype to unit #13,000," the company's statement Wednesday said.
"His journey to build both the company and its first compressors also built a deep corporate culture, which endures strongly at Ariel today."
Jim Buchwald (right) with his daughter, Karen Wright (left), at Ariel Corporation's world headquarters in Mount Vernon.
The company continued to thrive under Wright's leadership, weathering a worldwide recession before "overseeing a period of unprecedented growth for the company," according to its website.
Wright led Ariel Corporation through a period of process and equipment modernization and facility expansion over the next two decades.
The company remained at the forefront of the global energy industry, with the emergence of new natural gas extraction techniques, and celebrated several significant milestones, including its 50,000th product in 2015 and its 50th anniversary in 2016. A third generation of the Buchwald family also entered into company leadership during this time.
Wright eventually stepped down in July 2021. Her sons Hunter and Alex took over as the company's president and CEO, respectively. When Hunter passed away that October, Alex assumed both roles, and continues to serves Ariel Corporation's president and CEO to this day.
Jim Buchwald (right) with his daughter, Karen Wright (center), and his grandson, Alex Wright (left), circa 2012. The trio represents 56 years of Ariel Corporation ownership.
Today, the company employs thousands of people across the globe. It serves as a world leader in delivering "cost-efficient, clean energy," according to its website.
This success can all be traced back to Buchwald, who grew Ariel Corporation from the ground up.
"In the mid-1960s, Ariel founder Jim Buchwald understood that new technology was on the oil and gas industry horizon. He set his sights on building a gas gathering compressor to work with the new 1,800 RPM drivers. Buchwald envisioned precision and efficiency and wanted to manufacture a compressor that would pay for itself – all with the operator and mechanic in mind," the company's website states.
"Over five decades later, Ariel's product line has grown to include compressors for a wide variety of applications and horsepower. Still, one thing has never changed – our commitment to providing the best compressor and parts and service support in the industry."
REMEMBERING A TITAN: Local and state officials mourned the loss of Buchwald on Wednesday, and reflected on the legacy he left.
Gov. Mike DeWine said Buchwald's efforts, both personally and professionally, resonated well beyond Mount Vernon and Knox County.
"Jim’s legacy for the region and state has been transformational, and we celebrate a life and career that has been built around innovation, community, and a commitment to excellence," DeWine said. "We mourn the loss of a true friend to the people of Ohio."
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted echoed a similar sentiment.
"Jim Buchwald was a great man," Husted said. "He was a fantastic entrepreneur who created jobs for thousands of families, and he always took great care of his community. He will be missed."
Jim Buchwald standing next to the prototype compressor that started it all, an Ariel JG2, known as Serial No. 1, now on display at Ariel Corporation's world headquarters in Mount Vernon.
It wasn't just the fact that Buchwald founded a world-class business, local and state officials noted. It was the fact that he kept it in the family, and kept it in Mount Vernon.
"Jim's proposition that sound industrial growth promotes community prosperity is evident around Knox County," Area Development Foundation President Jeff Gottke said. "His dedication to entrepreneurship is a lesson to all of us about how one person can make such a positive difference in a community."
Gottke called Buchwald a "cornerstone" of the ADF's board of directors, and praised him for his work on behalf of Knox County's broader business community.
"During his decades-long service to the board, he was a tireless advocate for bringing manufacturing opportunities to the community, through his own company and building out the Mount Vernon Industrial Park," Gottke said.
"His service has left an indelible mark on Knox County's economy. His legacy is one of quiet and steady leadership, hard work, clarity of vision and high expectations. The full impacts of his vision and generosity will not be fully known for decades. Jim's life and legacy is one that should be celebrated. Knox County is in his debt."
Local officials had a hard time describing what Ariel Corporation has meant to Mount Vernon and Knox County over the years.
The company is not only Knox County's leading employer, with 1,610 employees spread out across the community, but it also serves as a local philanthropic leader, helping fun a wide array of projects aimed at moving Mount Vernon forward.
This began with Buchwald, and it has continued through multiple generations of family leadership.
Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr praised the industrial titan for his dedication to not only his company, but his community.
"Jim's legacy to the community runs deep and wide," Starr said. "He developed a thriving business, created prosperity for many people over many years, and has shared his blessings with many different communities.
"We will miss him, yet I'm sure we will continue to feel his presence."
Teresa Bemiller, president of the Knox County Board of Commissioners, shared similar thoughts.
"Jim Buchwald’s legacy locally will obviously be associated with the Ariel Corporation. Over the years Ariel has had a major impact on the economy of Mount Vernon and Knox County, and it continues to be our leading employer," she said.
"I had the privilege of being involved in some of the same local organizations he was and had a deep respect for him. It was clear he cared about his community and gave generously of his time and resources. He was an exceptional individual and community leader."
Buchwald is survived by his wife, Maureen, as well as numerous children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Maureen were married for 72 years, raising a family together and working alongside one another at Ariel Corporation.
The company said in its statement Wednesday that Buchwald's legacy will extend far beyond his professional accomplishments.
"Jim will be greatly missed by all and remembered as a man of honor and integrity, with an extraordinary intellect, who was an entrepreneur, a patriot, a friend to many, a husband, father, grandfather, and a great grandfather," the company stated.
Friends of Buchwald may call on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home, located at 201 Newark Road in Mount Vernon. The family will observe a private graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Buchwald's name may be made to the Kokosing Gap Trail, PO Box 129, Gambier, Ohio 43022 or the Ohio to Erie Trail, 118 Graceland Boulevard #146, Columbus Ohio 43214.
Grant is a 2018 graduate of Ohio Northern University, where he studied journalism and played basketball. He likes coffee, books and minor league baseball. He loves telling stories and has a passion for local news.
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