1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: No bus to work for sewing factory staff

AUGUST 3, 1956—The Monarch Wear Clothing factory, which had been in operation for eight years in St Pierre, moved lock, stock and sewing machines to Steinbach during the summer of 1956, thanks to the efforts of Steinbach automobile dealer and Chamber of Commerce president John D. Penner.

The Monarch Wear Clothing move to Steinbach was precipitated by owner Julius Berkowitz, who announced earlier in the year that his company had to look for a larger town for its operation, in order to provide the 100-150 staff needed for an efficient and economical production line.

As a result of a shortage of workers in the immediate St Pierre area, buses were being used to bring in additional help from adjoining towns, he explained.

The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce immediately began overtures to have the clothing manufacturer, building and all, moved to Steinbach rather than having the factory relocate to Winnipeg.

Getting the sewing factory became the chief project of John D. Penner, who had vowed that one new industry would be established in Steinbach during his tenure as chamber president.

Early in July 1956, the last hurdle was overcome when Penner personally underwrote a $50,000 guarantee that the movers would bring the bulky building to Steinbach without breakage.

The factory closed its doors in St Pierre in July and it took just a month before it was back in business at the corner of Mill Street and Barkman Avenue in Steinbach.

The large Quonset building was moved to Steinbach in three parts by Reimer Brothers Moving Contractors, who also put it back into one piece at the new location.

A temporary disposal field was installed to serve the building until it could be connected to Steinbach’s brand new water and sewer system.

About 30 women, all previous employees of the plant, were back at work for the first day of Steinbach production, manufacturing sports shirts and work shirts, one piece at a time. That number of employees was added too, until the full complement of over 80 sewing machine operators was reached.

A fascinating, piece-by-piece effort created the finished product, assembly line style, with each seamstress doing only one operation. It started with the sewing of the collar, hemming pockets and followed through to sewing button holes and buttons, and attaching sleeves, until the whole shirt was completely assembled, pressed and packed for market.

Steinbach operations manager James Steenson, who had worked with a number of Monarch Wear plants, said the employees at the Steinbach factory were “tops and could match the skills anywhere in Canada.”