Ray Garten bought control of the company from Sutton. His wife Rena became Secretary/Treasurer of the company and was an important part of the operation for over 60 years. Business improved as welding gained a foothold in industry. Electric welders began to appear in the mid-1920’s and further expanded the […]

Union Carbide decided to market product through distributors and Sutton and Garten returned to Indianapolis to begin operations as the first independently owned Prestolite distributor in the state of Indiana. The company specialized in the sale of small acetylene cylinders and Prestolite lighting equipment. Sutton-Garten Co. also maintained a welding […]

About Sutton-Garten Co. William Raymond “Ray” Garten began his career in the welding department at the Prestolite Company in Speedway, Indiana. Prestolite manufactured acetylene lamps and lighting systems for cars and trucks, and was owned by Indianapolis industrial pioneers Carl Fisher and Jim Allison. These gentlemen started the Indianapolis 500, Allison […]