Photo: DimiTalen / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Gary Vermeer, a farmer near Pella, built a mechanical wagon hoist in 1948 to unload grain more easily. Neighbors wanted one, and Vermeer Corporation was born.
The company is best known for its round baler, which Vermeer introduced in 1971 and which changed how farmers handled hay. It also makes trenchers, tree care equipment and directional drills.
Vermeer is still family-owned. A tornado hit its Pella campus in May 2024, damaging buildings, and the company rebuilt.
Round bales from Vermeer machines are a familiar sight on Wright County pastures in the fall.
Curt Hanneman writes for Clarion News Online.