The Hytrol Story

than that!” And Hytrol did! Tom had also invented several conveyor designs that were completely revolutionary. There was the Model CB “walking conveyor” which moved on motorized casters and could be easily moved into or out of trucks as they were being loaded or unloaded. The Model “K” was a “king-sized” unit which was so large it could be used to load and off-load freight and cargo ships from the dock. Hytrol had tried manufacturing gravity roller and skatewheel conveyor earlier, but simply didn’t have the equipment necessary to economically produce these types of conveyors. They would, however, be an important part of the Hytrol line in the near future. All in all, in those days Hytrol was a small plant. And when it came to keeping employees, Tom and Chuck had a large turnover in their business. They would hire young men, often “right off the farm;” teach them how to weld, assemble conveyors, etc. Many times, they would work at Hytrol for a while, then leave and go across the street to find employment at Wisconsin Motors or Allis-Chalmers. Tom didn’t have any kind of sheet metal fabrication facilities, so he would be forced to farm out that work to sheet metal shops. They did some welding, but many times they would need something welded they couldn’t handle, so someone would have to make a trip to a welding shop that was only a half a block down the alley. The company was receiving orders all the time, and they were shipping a lot of conveyor, but in all actuality, Hytrol wasn’t growing. And Tom knew there had to be a way to grow. One day, while traveling, Sam and Tom’s paths crossed in Buffalo, New York. They met for dinner one evening. At that dinner, Tom and Sam discussed Hytrol’s marketing strategy and the small but efficient dealer network. Sam offered his ideas based on his experience and Tom discussed the Hytrol way of doing business with their dealers. If any meeting could be called the one time when Tom and Sam formed a profound bond of friendship, this would be the one. They enthusiastically formalized their thoughts and wrote them down on, some say, a paper napkin, others say it was a sheet of paper. What mattered was the concept they created that day. When it was finished, Tom and Sam had the perfect guide for Hytrol’s future. Sam likes to refer to it as “DPAS.” Design, Pricing, Availability, and Service. The Hytrol Concept. It’s still the basic guide for making decisions at Hytrol even today. Conveyors designed with standard components and basic interchangeable parts. . .priced competitively. . .available for fast shipments from the factory, many standard models in 24 hours. . .and service that is second to none, before, during, and after the sale. This Hytrol Concept is the beacon that has steered the company ever forward by maintaining a close and deeply personal commitment between Hytrol and the Hytrol Distributor Family.