| Revision as of 16:11, 1 February 2007 editAjcross2455 (talk | contribs)12 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:12, 1 February 2007 edit undoAjcross2455 (talk | contribs)12 editsNo edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
| * http://www.ditchwitch.com | * http://www.ditchwitch.com | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 16:12, 1 February 2007
The history of The Charles Machine Works, Inc. and Ditch Witch underground construction equipment has its roots in the settlement of one of the last unassigned land areas of the United States.
In 1902, Carl Frederick Malzahn moved his family to Perry, Oklahoma and opened a blacksmith shop with his sons, Charlie and Gus. The business prospered, and several years later, with the advent of an oil boom, it became Charlie's Machine Shop, specializing in repairs for the nearby oil fields.
In the late 1940s, Charlie Malzahn's son, Ed, a recent college graduate with an engineering degree, had the idea to build a small compact trenching machine that could replace the "pick and shovel" work involved with installing residential utility services.
By 1949, Ed had succeeded in producing a workable compact trencher. Charlie's Machine Shop was renamed The Charles Machine Works, Inc., and the first seeds of the worldwide Ditch Witch organization were planted.
Over the years, Ditch Witch has expanded from its trenching roots into light construction and beyond. The company offers the most comprehensive line of underground construction equipment in the world, including a variety of sizes of trenching units, vacuum excavators, tracking and locating electronics, directional drills, and compact utility machines.
With more than half the world’s trenchers proudly bearing the Ditch Witch name, The Charles Machine Works, Inc. has pioneered a huge slice of the world construction industry. Today, it continues to define it.