The Hytrol Story

But Tom wasn’t about to violate the handshake contract he’d made with Rex Yocum. Seedburo had done too much for Tom and Hytrol. Then, one day, Rex admitted that his firm couldn’t handle the variety of conveyors that Hytrol was now producing. Rex released Tom from his commitment to Seedburo. Rex told Tom to go and search out industrial dealers that could sell the newer types of conveyors Hytrol was now able to manufacture. And he did. He loaded up his station wagon with catalogs and many times even a conveyor. His Model R was beginning to be a very popular model. It could be placed in a stairway for easy floor-to-floor conveying. Tom made many calls to dealers and companies that sold related material handling items. He made telephone calls and knocked on doors. The name “Hytrol Conveyors” was gaining a reputation for manufacturing a well-built, quality conveyor, and not only in the midwestern area. Tom received a call from a dealer in Massachusetts. Langley Corporation was interested in marketing and selling Hytrol. Jerry Golden, one of the owners of the company, told Tom, “You guys have a million-dollar product, and we’d like to sell for you.” Tom replied, “Send us an order!” Jerry replied, “No, we’d like to be a dealer.” And Tom repeated, “Send us an order. That’s all you have to do.” And that’s the way Tom wanted to do business. He didn’t want to be tied down by a lot of red tape. A handshake was all Tom really wanted from a dealer. And with that handshake, Tom made a promise to deliver a quality product. About this time, Tom found another dealer in Chicago: Delano, Inc., run by a man named George Heery. His company sold various material handling items, but they weren’t too familiar with conveyors. Tom soon taught them, and this company eventually became Hytrol Conveyors Midwest. The company is now known as HCM Systems and in its third generation of ownership. A man called from California and wanted to sell in the seven western states. Hytrol didn’t have anyone out there so Tom was happy to oblige! In those days, it was a wide open field. In 1957, Tom and Chuck Loberg incorporated their company. It was now, officially known as Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc., a maker of powered belt conveyors. As they began the process of incorporating, circumstances warranted the need for an additional director. The situation called for a person outside the company to take on this role. Chuck Loberg nominated his good friend, Harry Russell. Harry was the president of a local bank in West Allis. Harry was named a director of Hytrol during this process, a position he held until the move to Jonesboro, at which time he accepted his retirement from the board. At this writing, Harry still lives in Wisconsin. Tom receives a Christmas card from him each December.