The Skid Steer Loader History.
History on tractors, hydraulics, attachments,
the evolution revolution of farm equipment and and the modern day Skid
Steer loaders and the companies and individuals that invented and produced
them.
History Segments :
Melroe
Manufaturing Company The Bobcat Story "Birth of The Skid Steer Loader"
Loegering
Mfg. Inc.George and Marilyn Loegering Track History
Harry
Ferguson Hydraulic 3-piont Hitching System
Henry
Ford "Fordson "Automobile Plough to "New Holland" Tractors
The Case Company
THE LOEGRING STORY
Making Tracks
Where Did Loegering Come From?
Loegering Mfg. Inc. started January 1, 1971 with two
employees, George and Marilyn Loegering, and has been making tracks ever
since.
January of 1971 is when the corporation started,
but it is not when Loegering™ Tracks started. Loegering's beginning was
in the 1950's with two brothers, Louis and Cyril Keller at a blacksmith
shop in Rothsay, MN. A local farmer needed a machine to clean his turkey
barns more efficiently and asked the Kellers for help. The machine that
was invented and patented by the Kellers to meet the farmer's need and
is the predecessor to what we now know as the Melroe Bobcat® skid-steer
loader.
The Keller brothers sold the manufacturing rights of
their machine to the Melroe Company in 1957 and became employees of the
Melroe organization, Louis as an engineer and Cyril a salesman. The skid
steer loader was used successfully in many different applications. The
loader did not do well however, when cleaning sand beaches, the skid steer
loaders got stuck. Another problem to solve for the Kellers... This is
when Louis Keller designed the first track system. Louis did not want to
go into the production of his invention so he searched for someone to handle
the manufacturing of his track.
This is when George and Marilyn (Keller) Loegering entered
the picture. George and Marilyn had always dreamed of having a manufacturing
plant and at this point the Loegering Track was born.
Loegering's first plant was a lean-to attached to Larson
Welding in Fargo, ND, where George was employed as a foreman. Elmer Larson,
the owner of Larson Welding, made an offer to the Loegerings that no one
could turn down. He offered to rent his lean-to to the Loegerings for just
$5.00 per set of tracks sold. Elmer also allowed the Loegerings use of
his equipment and machines free of charge when his employees were not using
them. Elmer even went the extra mile of allowing George the option of punching
the Larson Welding time clock...George never had to punch in.
That first year many hours were spent as a family building
Loegering Tracks during the night, since that was the best time not to
interfere with Larson's jobs. A comfortable bed was made in the back of
the Loegering's station wagon for the children as both Marilyn and George,
(Mom and Dad), worked to form and assemble Loegering Tracks.
After one year the business was moved to the Hohnadel/Trom
building in Casselton, ND. Presses and more equipment were added and their
first full-time employee, John Kleinsasser, was hired. As sales increased,
more employees were hired and a search for a larger facility began.
The present Loegering plant location was purchased in
1973. Personal labor of George, Marilyn, family, and friends went into
building the first 80' x 100' block building. In 1978 the first addition
was developed, 1986 the second addition, and in 1996 the third addition
was completed.
Several product improvements and various track sizes
have been developed over the years. The current Loegering Track has a forged
bottom and a field-replaceable pin and is know for its outstanding quality
in the marketplace today.
This is the Loegering story... but it is not the end!
George Loegering retired in 1996 and Marilyn retired
January 1999. Today a great team of people work at Loegering and they are
now the "Loegering Family". Everyone together will continue to make Loegering
Tracks and forge ahead to develop new equipment attachments to service
customers' needs today and for the future.
Loegering Tracks are sold worldwide, and it all started in the great
state of North Dakota.
A SKID STEER LOADER BOBCAT WITH HYDRAULIC ROTARY CUTTER BUSHWHACKER1
ATTACHMENT
Tractor Fact:
John Deere never constructed a tractor
in his life. He was famous for developing the first ever American steel
plough in 1838. It was actually made from wrought iron with only the cutting
edge made from steel. The plough was so successful that by 1846, Deere
was selling a thousand a year.
In 1846 he produced a plough cast entirely
from steel, and by 1855, he was selling 13,000 such ploughs a year. |
