The Hytrol Story

to make hydraulic pumps and cylinders and was toying with the idea of manufacturing a line of those pumps. But Lester Jarlsberg was persistent. Practically every chance he got, he asked Tom about making a conveyor. Les even had an idea of how it should be built and for two or three years he kept after Tom to try. Still, Tom just didn’t want to get involved with conveyors. Until, one day, in 1945, Lester was visiting Tom and the two were sitting in the living room. Once again, Les brought up the subject of a conveyor. For whatever reason, Tom began to really listen to Lester in earnest. Tom fetched a pencil and some paper and began making sketches. Back at Loberg & Hagen, Tom handed the conveyor sketches to Otto Hagen and asked if he wanted to try building this conveyor. Otto agreed and went to work. He finished the conveyor and shipped it out to Lester Jarlsberg. It didn’t work at all. Otto had cut corners during the manufacture and the conveyor wasn’t functionable. Lester brought it back and it was stored at Loberg & Hagen Company. Tom and Otto dissolved their company right after World War Two ended. The two men divided up the machine tools, Tom giving Otto first choice. Tom got stuck with a Gisholt Turrent Lathe. It wasn’t paid for at the time, so it was up to Tom to make the payments. Tom didn’t really mind because he was becoming more involved in Hydraulics. Hydraulics were relatively new at the time and Tom was convinced he could make a go at manufacturing hydraulic power feeds for machine tools. He was going to build the pressure pumps and furnish the cylinders and everything. With Otto gone, Tom Loberg started Hydro-Controls Company late in 1945, the name reflecting the interest Tom had in Hydraulic Controls. Tom’s brother Chuck and several other men made up the whole company. They were renting a small shop on First Street in Milwaukee. In 1947, Tom and Chuck made the decision to build a new building just for their company. In the meantime, while their new building was being constructed, Tom began working on a new design for Lester Jarlsberg’s conveyor. He completely reworked the idea and began construction of his real first conveyor. The conveyor was partially assembled when they moved into their new building.