Trucking is Life

          Lititz, PA has always been a great manufacturing center and there has always been a need to transport those various goods and products. The first opportunity to provide transportation services came in 1915 when Joshua Rollman began hauling for a local company with his team of horses and dray wagon. Everyone in town knew Josh for his service and commitment to his customers. He moved merchandise for many factories and stores in this small town. The need soon came for him to purchase a 3-ton Ford truck and then a 2nd and then a third truck, but Josh never did away with his team. He said he might need it in cases of emergency. As the ATCO news magazine reported in 1944, “Josh gives dependable service-gas or no gas.” His days were filled with moving freight to and from the railroad station. He charged 25 cents per package delivered to the customer’s door. He also began hauling coal and delivering it to all the townspeople.

        Rollman hauled products such as steel, wire, paper, and other raw materials to produce their items to sell. In the 1940’s, there was an increasing need for steel traps. The war effort needed fur. The war changed businesses production and shipping to anything made of steel. Next we hauled fishing and hunting products in the 1960’s. This took our trucks all over the United States. In the 1990’s, pest control and nature products were the main truckload commodities. Today we continue to nurture this relationship with this loyal customer through many corporate ownership changes, location and personnel changes.

Also beginning in 1915, the first of four generations began hauling for a H. O. Wilbur & Sons. They manufactured cocoa and chocolate. Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate bought Wilbur in 1992. During these years, we have seen the logistics of the cocoa bean handling go from one small wooden hand truck left over from the 19th century with three employees unloading one trailer load per shift to automation emptying a trailer in less than one hour. Over the century, Rollman contributed many innovations to this process. Today, we haul many loads per day to keep the plant running and producing the chocolate products that are enjoyed all over the world. 

In 1920, we began serving Morgan Paper Company in downtown Lititz. The mill was built to manufacture paper and boxboard from recycled paper and other waste materials. In 1950, we were transporting toilet tissue and paper products. We helped this company to recycle decades before recycling was popular. 

        Joshua’s son, Henry, took over the business after he returned from serving in the Navy. At that time, the usage of tractors and longer trailers took the place of the short straight trucks. Henry continued overseeing and driving until his son, William, assumed leadership of the company. William began quickly acquiring ICC and PUC authorities to gain better positioning in the industry. With the authority, we were able to haul brick into New York City and literally help to build the city in the 1960’s. Next came the acquisition of frozen food authority. This was a huge step which required many more employees and much more equipment. J. Rollman and Son, Inc. was running as many as 30 trucks during the 1970’s. Then came the Carter administration and deregulation took place. It changed the industry overnight. The authorities that were so valuable and gave us control over lanes and commodities, were instantly rendered worthless. Although it was a great financial loss, the company persevered through the changes by adapting new processes. Many new and different opportunities arose and J. Rollman and Son flourished. 

         In the 1990’s, Rollman Brokerage, Inc., a transportation brokerage company was formed to better align with the changing industry and to better serve our customers.

         Today Rollman Logistics LLC is still serving these same industries, along with several others. Our dispatch department is staffed 24/7/365 with a very capable and competent staff, which includes the fourth generation of Rollmans, giving leadership and direction for the future. We have found our niche and are determined to continue on with the same dedication to excellence and commitment to our customers as Joshua Rollman had over 100 years ago.