Vermeer Manufacturing was started in 1948 in Pella, Iowa by Gary Vermeer with the manufacture of a wagon with raisable box.  Instead of unloading a whole load of corn by hand, the wagon’s wheels were blocked, a cable was attached to the tractor, and the tractor moved forward with the cable raising the front of the wagon.  Where Vermeer really made its mark though was with the invention of the round baler in 1971.  Frustrated by a neighbor talking of quitting farming because he couldn’t find enough help to put up hay, Mr. Vermeer developed a piece of machinery that revolutionized hay production.  These new machines created quite an interested crowd when demonstrated in its early days.  Vermeer followed shortly thereafter, in 1973, with their first twin rakes to gather enough hay to feed the new balers.  In the early 1990s, Vermeer introduced an economy line of balers, the Rebel series.  These balers have been very popular with smaller producers and hobby farmers.  Mower conditioners, large square balers, bale processors, and wheel and basket rakes are also in Vermeer’s line of ag equipment.

                While most recognized for it’s agricultural equipment, especially the round baler, Vermeer also manufactures a line of construction equipment, including tree chippers and grinders, stump cutters, tree spades,  trenchers, and horizontal directional drilling equipment.

TTT April 2003 Page 14

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