H. D. Hudson Manufacturing 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

1905 1930 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

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

1930 1955 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

1955 1980

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

1980 2005

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 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

2005: Hudson celebrates it’s 100th Anniversary 1980 2005 2005: Hudson celebrates it’s 100th Anniversary

Thank you for your contributions over the years!!

THEN

NOW