The Verdin Company

The Verdin Company is an American manufacturer of bells, carillons, tower clocks, and digital clocks. Founded in 1842 and headquartered in Cincinnati, it serves clients worldwide.

The Verdin Company began in Cincinnati in 1842, when brothers Francis de Sales Verdin and Michael Verdin installed a tower clock at Old St. Mary's Church. This installation established the business's early association with public timekeeping and ecclesiastical architecture. Over the following generations, the company developed around the manufacture, installation, repair, and restoration of bells and clocks used in churches, civic buildings, bell towers, peals, chimes, and carillons. Verdin has remained a family business for six generations. Its activities have historically included both direct work and collaboration with specialist foundries. Before the Ohio Bicentennial project, the company generally did not cast its own bells on a regular basis, instead using outside foundries such as Petit & Fritsen in the Netherlands. The company later expanded its own casting capabilities for major civic work. The company's Cincinnati headquarters occupies a former church complex in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. St. Paul's Church, the seventh German Catholic church in Cincinnati, was begun in 1848. The building was substantially remodeled by architect Samuel Hannaford after a fire in 1899. It was deconsecrated in 1975 and acquired by Verdin in 1981. The company restored the complex in 1983, and the site now includes the Bell Event Centre as well as company facilities. One of Verdin's most significant documented projects began in 2001, when the State of Ohio commissioned the company to cast one bell for each county in anticipation of the 2003 Ohio Bicentennial. The bells were made in a trailer-mounted foundry, described as the only mobile bell foundry in the world. The commission combined a statewide commemorative purpose with a notable technical and logistical achievement. Verdin has also been involved in major bell and clock installations in religious, governmental, cultural, entertainment, and public settings. Notable examples include the World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky; work for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Smithsonian Institution, the Canadian Parliament Buildings, and Walt Disney World Resort; and the Ohio Bicentennial bells. The World Peace Bell was cast in 1999 at the Paccard Foundry near Annecy, France, under Verdin's direction. It weighs approximately 33,285 kilograms and is about 3.7 meters wide. The company broadened its musical-instrument activities in 2016 by creating a pipe-organ division. This division serves churches and other institutions and allows Verdin to combine organ and bell music in integrated projects. In 2015, the company completed a large outdoor piano-and-bell installation at Smale Riverfront Park in Cincinnati, demonstrating its ability to apply traditional bell expertise to interactive public art and visitor attractions. Verdin's modern business combines heritage preservation with new construction and custom design. Its capabilities include bronze bell production, clock and bell restoration, electronic control systems, tower installations, street clocks, glockenspiels, monuments, carillons, pipe organs, and related maintenance. Bob Verdin, representing the sixth generation of the family, serves as chief executive officer.

• 2016

  Pipe-organ division established

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company created a pipe-organ division to serve churches and institutions with integrated organ and bell-music systems.

• 2015

  Smale Riverfront Park piano-and-bell installation

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Verdin completed a large outdoor instrument combining 32 piano keys and 32 bells at Cincinnati's Smale Riverfront Park.

• 2001

  Ohio Bicentennial bell commission

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Ohio commissioned Verdin to cast a bell for every county for the 2003 state bicentennial, using a mobile foundry.

• 1999

  World Peace Bell project

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  A large World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky, was cast under Verdin's direction by the Paccard Foundry in France.

• 1983

  Restoration of headquarters complex

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The historic church complex was restored and subsequently incorporated into Verdin's headquarters and event operations.

• 1981

  Acquisition of former St. Paul's Church complex

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Verdin acquired the deconsecrated church complex that later became its Cincinnati headquarters.

• 1930

  Electrification of manually operated bells

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1930s and 1940s, the company helped replace manually operated bells with electrically operated systems.

• 1927

  First American electric bell ringer

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Verdin built what is described as the first electric bell ringer in America.

• 1848

  Construction of St. Paul's Church begins

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The church complex that later became Verdin's headquarters was begun as St. Paul's Church, a German Catholic church in Cincinnati.

• 1842

  Company origins in Cincinnati

  [1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Francis de Sales Verdin and Michael Verdin installed a tower clock at Old St. Mary's Church, marking the beginning of the Verdin family business.

A heritage American specialist in bells, clocks, towers, and integrated architectural music systems, combining custom fabrication, restoration, engineering, installation, and long-term service.

• Bellfounding

  Bronze bells

  Custom bronze bells for churches, civic commemorations, bell towers, peals, chimes, carillons, monuments, and public installations. Verdin also provides associated installation, restoration, repair, and service capabilities.

• Architectural timekeeping · 1842

  Tower clocks

  Tower-clock systems for religious, civic, institutional, and architectural settings, including new installations, restoration, electrification, controls, and ongoing maintenance.

• Musical bell systems

  Carillons and chimes

  Traditional and electronic carillons, chimes, and related bell-control systems for churches, campuses, public spaces, and other institutions.

• Public timekeeping

  Street clocks

  Decorative public clocks designed for streetscapes, civic districts, campuses, commercial areas, and other outdoor architectural environments.

• Musical installations

  Glockenspiels

  Glockenspiel systems and custom installations that extend the company's bell and musical-instrument capabilities into public, institutional, and architectural projects.

• Architectural commissions

  Monuments and custom installations

  Large custom monuments, bells, and interactive public installations, including the piano-and-bell instrument completed for Smale Riverfront Park in Cincinnati.

• Pipe-organ systems · 2016

  Pipe organs

  Pipe organs supplied through the division established in 2016, serving churches and institutions and supporting combined organ-and-bell musical programs.

• 2016

  Establish pipe-organ divisionStrategy

  Background

  Verdin's established business centered on bells, clocks, towers, carillons, and related systems for religious and institutional customers.

  Action taken

  The company created a pipe-organ division to broaden its church and institutional offering and combine organ and bell music.

  Aftermath

  The division added pipe organs to Verdin's portfolio of musical and architectural systems.

  Source

• 2001

  Expand direct bell-casting capability for Ohio Bicentennial projectStrategy

  Background

  Ohio sought a commemorative bell for each county as part of the 2003 bicentennial. Verdin had generally relied on external foundries for casting its bells.

  Action taken

  The company used a trailer-mounted mobile foundry to cast the statewide bell series, taking on a large direct-production and logistics role.

  Aftermath

  The project became a notable example of Verdin's manufacturing capabilities and was associated with the company's mobile foundry.

  Source

• 2016

  Verdin creates pipe-organ division[1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company established a pipe-organ division serving churches and other institutions and combining organ music with bell systems.

• 2015

  Verdin completes large piano-and-bell installation at Smale Riverfront Park[1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Verdin completed an oversized interactive installation measuring approximately 19 by 6 feet, with 32 piano keys and 32 bells, at Cincinnati's Smale Riverfront Park.

• 2001

  Verdin receives Ohio Bicentennial bell contract[1]The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The State of Ohio commissioned Verdin to cast a bell for each county for the state's 2003 bicentennial. The project used a trailer-mounted mobile foundry and expanded the company's direct bell-casting role.

1. 1The Verdin Companyen.wikipedia.org