H. D. HudsonManufacturing Company

1905 2005

1905 1930

1905 1930

1905: H.D. Hudson & Miles Thurber form the Hudson & Thurber Company

1906: Bought Brandt Manufacturing Company which manufactured compression sprayers

1909: Moved Brandt operations to Hastings, Minnesota

1913: Purchased the DeFrees Manufacturing Company which manufactured air compressors

1914: Issued first barn equipment catalog: Right-Way Barn Equipment

1905 1930

1917: Miles Thurber left the manufacturing business and the company was renamed Hudson Manufacturing Company

1918: Acquired American Culvert Company to expand sheet metal products

1905 1930

1919: Purchased the Western Steel and Iron Works to enlarge barn equipment line and provide better manufacturing facilities

1921-1922: A sales office was opened in New York City, a sales office and warehouse was opened in Philadelphia, and a sales office opened in Kansas City, Missouri

1905 1930

1925: The Hudson Manufacturing Company purchases C.A. Libbey Company, a small manufacturer of barn equipment

1926: Purchased the Davis-Hanson Pump Company a manufacturer of pumps and water systems

1927: Hudson established a new sales office and service warehouse opened in San Francisco, California. The company also opened up a sales office in Chicago in the McCormick Building on Michigan Avenue

1905 1930

1928: The sheet metal division of the Wm. Warnock Company is purchased to better serve the Omaha area

1929: The general office facilities are moved permanently to Chicago, Illinois and the corporate name modified to H.D. Hudson Manufacturing Company to avoid confusion with a flavoring extract manufacturer

1930: Hudson celebrates it’s 25th Anniversary

1905 1930

1930 1955

1930

1955

1931-1933: H.D. Hudson does not miss a single payroll and survives the Great Depression

1935: Expands poultry equipment line by purchasing Miller Manufacturing Company in Rockford, Illinois

1941: The U.S. enters WWII and the Hastings facility is devoted exclusively to products for the war effort

1942: H.D. Hudson organizes informal organizational meetings consisting of sprayer and duster manufacturers in order to broaden the market

1945: The National Association of Manufacturers of Sprayers and Dusters (later known as the National Sprayer and Duster Association) is formed. R.C. Hudson becomes its first president

1930

1955

1945: The company reallocates capital, space and manpower to better dedicate itself to development of product lines for new consumer demands

1947: The company purchases the building that housed the San Francisco offices and warehouse

1949: Hudson introduces the innovative “Simplex Inner-Seal”

1930

1955

1950: H.D. Hudson becomes involved with the World Health Organization (WHO) campaign to eradicate malaria and other vector-borne diseases

1952: Hudson develops the X-Pert® Sprayer that meets standards and specifications of WHO

1955: H.D. Hudson celebrates their 50th anniversary

1930

1955

1955 1980

1956: A new line of all-purpose Peerless power sprayers is introduced and the Philadelphia sales and service branch is consolidated with the New York Division

1960: Hudson introduces a new feeding system for boilers and turkeys

1964: The De Pere, Wisconsin facility is closed and the assets and customer lists of a former competitor, Lofstrand, are purchased

1955

1980

1964: H.D. Hudson International Ltd. is created to provide better access and acceptance to Canada and some Caribbean areas

Productos H.D. Hudson de Mexico, S.A. de V.C. was formed in Mexico to develop the Mexican market

1965: R.C. Hudson, Jr. is elected President

1955

1980

1969: The now familiar Ladybug logo is introduced for the first time

1970: Hudson becomes the sole U.S. and Canadian distributor for the Ginge poly sprayer line

1971: Hudson introduced the Thrifty and Utility Sprayers with galvanized steel pumps in response to dealer needs for “promotional” sprayers

1955

1980

1972: After becoming a member of the Industry Cooperative Program/Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Hudson becomes the only sprayer manufacturer to participate in vector-disease control field programs

1974: R.C. Hudson, Jr. is elected President of the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA)

1975: Hardware Industry Week was held for the first time in Chicago at McCormick Place

1955

1980

1976: Hudson participates in Family Circle’s unique “advertorial”. The theme is plant, cultivate, fertilize, protect and can home-grown vegetables

1978: H.D. Hudson Asia Limited, Hudson’s first manufacturing site outside the U.S., is created and located in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong

1979-1980: H.D. Hudson celebrate their 75th anniversary

1955

1980

1980 2005

1980: Hudson acquires Quality Products, a blow molding company in Eldora, Iowa

1982: Epoxy coating is used on the inside of galvanized steel sprayers producing a far superior product

1985: The Suprema® poly Bak-Pak® is introduced. This sprayer incorporates a number of unique features which differentiated it from other competitive models.

1980

2005

1986: Hudson is recognized by the Society for Engineering in Agriculture for contributing to outstanding innovation in product technology during 1985-1986

1987: The Hudson Suprema poly Bak-Pak was selected as one of “The Agricultural Engineering 50” award by Agricultural Engineering magazine

Advanced Genetic Sciences (AGS) makes international history by spraying a strawberry patch with a gene-altered bacteria using a Hudson Bugwiser Sprayer

1980

2005

1988: R.C. Hudson, III joins the company

1992: Hudson began converting its electronic data processing to a new system called M2K

1994: Hudson goes “live” with EDI and Lowe’s becomes the first customer to send in electronic purchase orders and be billed electronically

1996: Hudson forays into cyberspace with the entry of the Hudson website on to the World Wide Web

1980

2005

2001: W.A. Hudson is appointed Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales

2002: R.C. Hudson, III is elected the 4th President of Hudson Manufacturing Company. R.C. Hudson, Jr. is elected Chairman

2003: R.C. Hudson, Jr. is given an award by his peers in recognition for his lifelong support and contributions to the industry

2005: W.A. Hudson is elected second vice chairman of the AHMA

1980

2005

2005: Hudson celebrates it’s

100th

Anniversary

1980

2005

Thank you for your contributions

over the years!!

THEN

NOW