Erie J. Sauder
Born	(1904-08-06)August 6, 1904[1] Archbold, Ohio[1]
Died	June 29, 1997(1997-06-29) (aged 92)[1] Archbold, Ohio
Education	eighth grade
Occupation(s)	Inventor, cabinetmaker, furniture manufacturer
Spouses	Leona Short ​ (m. 1927)​ [citation needed] Orlyss Short ​ (m. 1976)​ [citation needed]
Children	Three[1]
Parent(s)	Daniel and Anne (Schrock) Sauder[1]

Erie J. Sauder (August 6, 1904 – June 29, 1997) was an American inventor and furniture-maker. He invented a knock-down table in 1951^[2][3] and founded a company that produced ready-to-assemble furniture—one of the largest in the United States at the time of his death.^[4]

Sauder was born in Archbold, Ohio,^[2] to Daniel and Anne (Schrock) Sauder.^[1] In 1927, he married Leona Short.^{[citation needed]} He had only an eighth grade education^[4] and was a Mennonite cabinet maker. Sauder worked at the Archbold Ladder Company^{[citation needed]} in his home town before he started his own business in 1934.^[2]

The Sauder Woodworking Company initially manufactured church pews, tables and other items.^[2] In 1954, he formed the Sauder Manufacturing Company^[2] and later diversification included the Archbold Container company.^[4] The Sauder Woodworking Company manufactured ready-to-assemble furniture, while Sauder Manufacturing handled church furniture, and the Archbold Container company dealt in materials for packaging.^[2] With over 3,200 employees, at the time of his death, the Sauder companies constituted one of the largest companies producing ready-to-assemble furniture in the United States.^[4]

In 1975 Sauder retired, but the businesses continued to be run by family.^[2]

After retiring, Sauder started Sauder Village which depicts life in nineteenth-century Ohio.^[2][5]

• Media related to Sauder ready-to-assemble furniture at Wikimedia Commons