The Hytrol Story

It was during the period while working at Allis- Chalmers that Tom and a friend, Otto Hagen, rented a small building right across the street from Allis- Chalmers. It was a small “job” machine shop, and they called it Loberg & Hagen Company. Tom and Otto were also able to get some government jobs to help the war effort. They manufactured a small Navy turbine and an oil bubbler, just to name a few. The oil bubbler was mounted to the top of a bearing and allowed the user to see if the hydraulic pumps were working correctly. The top had an open space where one could actually see the oil bubbling up. With the arrival of two more children, daughters Judi in 1942, and Ruth in 1944, Tom and Rigmor were busy raising a family during these years. Tom was also attending a night school at Marqette University in Milwaukee. He was taking the engineering course offered there and acquiring more knowledge to supplement his skills. While he loved designing and engineering and machinery, his family was still his top priority. His focus was providing for those he loved. And with that, he kept an eye out for things he could manufacture in his machine shop that might help him to support his family. Tom left Allis-Chalmers in 1942 to pursue his interests in the Loberg & Hagen Company. It was during this time that a good friend approached Tom with an unusual request. Lester Jarlsberg owned the Cambridge Feed & Seed Company in Cambridge, Wisconsin. It was a small company, with just two other men and Lester’s sister who ran the office. The firm mainly sold feed for cattle and egg-laying chickens. Moving heavy bags of seed and feed was backbreaking work. One day, Les asked Tom if he thought he could design and build a conveyor to help with the handling of those bags. Tom really didn’t want to get into it. He didn’t have the time. He was learning how 2 t h e c o n v e y o r