Oldest U.S. electrical contractor opens Columbus office

In response to the massive building boom in Central Ohio, the oldest electrical contractor in the United States recently opened a new office in Columbus. 

Hatzel and Buehler opened its third Ohio office in Columbus in response to the large number of megaprojects planned across Central Ohio.

In 1882, Thomas Edison opened the Electrical Illuminating Company, the first publicly owned and operated electric generating station. John D. Hatzel and Joseph Buehler both worked there as master electricians.

After completing work at the first commercial electrical generating plant, the pair left and started the partnership known today as Hatzel and Buehler. They opened their first office in New York City in 1884.

The full-service union contractor has offices in nine states and more than 1,000 employees who provide electrical design, construction, engineering, integration and maintenance services. 

This year, Hatzel and Buehler celebrate its 140th anniversary as an IBEW signatory contractor. 

Located at 6901 Americana Parkway, Hatzel and Buehler opened their Columbus office on March 4. 

“As the oldest signatory electrical contractor in the United States, Hatzel and Buehler is excited to open a branch office in Columbus, Ohio,” said Dustin Gockenback, branch manager for the Columbus office. “With the exploding construction market in the area, we recognized the need to expand the union labor workforce and wanted to be a part of the construction industry’s economic development for the Central Ohio area.” 

Before joining Hatzel and Buehler, Gockenback was a business agent for IBEW Local 683 and served as president of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building Construction Trades Council. 

Open house celebration 

To celebrate their expansion in the Buckeye State, Hatzel and Buehler held a three-hour open house on Sept. 20. 

Around 150 people attended the open house, including Hatzel and Buehler owner Bill Goeller, Hatzel and Buehler employees from neighboring branch offices in Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania, customers, local elected officials and building trades representatives.

During the open house, guests toured the office and enjoyed food trucks, corn hole, tailgating and networking.

Items with the company’s logo were gifted to attendees to help promote Hatzel and Buehler and get their name out in the Columbus and Central Ohio markets. 

Dorsey Hager, Executives Secretary-Treasurer for the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council was excited to welcome the electrical contractor to Central Ohio.

“The Columbus Building Trades is thrilled that Hatzel and Buehler have chosen to open an office in Columbus,” Hager said. “Central Ohio is one of the hottest markets in the United States, and as the IBEW’s oldest contractor, they will expand our contractor base and assist in growing our union market share.”