“On a day to day basis, the merger provides a more efficient structure for sales, marketing, distribution and administration. Atlas distributors and dealers will benefit by having only one company to transact business with”, Haedrich explained.
Atlas O, LLC was established as a separate business entity in 1997 and is dedicated to producing multiple lines of O model railroad products including track, freight cars, locomotives and accessories. Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc., is the successor to Atlas Tool Co. Inc., founded in 1949 in Hillside, NJ by Stephan Schaffan Jr. Both companies have been dedicated to producing broad lines of quality N and HO model railroad products. Atlas Tool Co. Inc. is the successor to Atlas Tool Co. founded in Newark, NJ in 1924 by Stephan Schaffan Sr. After 88 years and four generations, the Schaffan family remains actively involved in the day to day operation of Atlas.
Diane Schaffan Haedrich, spouse of CEO Thomas W. Haedrich, is President of Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc. Jarrett Schaffan Haedrich serves as Vice President of Marketing and Jesse Schaffan Haedrich, a recent college graduate, is active in Design and Development.
They've come a long way and Atlas has been under every loco and car wheel of mine, either N or HO gauge models railroads that I have built since 1957. I enjoy building layouts more than anything and will tear out a section and start over. The Atlas track and switches have been on at least 4 different railroads over the last 12 years – solid as the day I first bought it.
I still have Atlas track made in the good old USA from NJ
Mergers often indicate trouble in River City. I hope everything is alright with Atlas. I can still see the Penn-Central engines in their green livery……
So glad to see a family business remain in the family.
Congratulations to the founders and successors of such a wonderful and successful business.
I never realized that they were two seperate companies. I always just thought of them as "Atlas."