One Man's Vision to Global Reality

Near the end of the Great Depression, a foundry pattern maker in a small Illinois town had a vision. He watched while workers overcame sand blockages on the foundry's mold-making machines by pounding the hoppers with hammers. And he was troubled by the noise, the damage, and the loss of productivity that resulted.

"What can I do to maintain the flow, to boost productivity, and reduce stoppages, to prevent the damage, and eliminate the risks for the workers who have to climb the equipment and swing those unwieldy hammers?" asked Edwin F. Peterson. "How can I improve these operations and make them cleaner, safer, and more productive?"

Soon, the energetic and inventive Peterson had the idea to use vibration to stimulate the flow of material. This vibration was created by the rotation of a single steel ball in a hardened steel raceway, propelled by compressed air.

His invention, patented in 1949, was marketed as the Peterson VIBROLATOR® Vibrator. It was the first of the innovative products introduced by Martin Engineering to solve problems in bulk materials handling. Today, more than 50 years later, the VIBROLATOR® Vibrator remains one of the world's most accepted vibrators to improve the movement of solid materials.

And the company he founded—Martin Engineering—remains focused on Edwin F. Peterson's vision of making bulk materials handling cleaner, safer, and more productive.

After the introduction of the VIBROLATOR® Vibrator, Edwin F. Peterson left his job as a pattern maker and started a business. He used an earlier partnership as the basis for the business and adopted its name—Martin Engineering—for the new firm.

Growing Into a New Location

Martin Engineering was headquartered in Kewanee until 1954, when Peterson bought a new location nine miles outside of town in rural Neponset, population 500.

Today, Martin Engineering's Neponset headquarters has expanded to occupy more than 152,000 square feet (14,121 m²) of floor space. The campus now includes sophisticated engineering, research and development, machining, and urethane molding capabilities. An integrated computer system controls order entry, manufacturing, inventory, and accounting. The Neponset facility is certified to the "world-class" ISO 9001 Quality Systems.

History of Our Products

Over the years, Martin Engineering responded to new challenges in bulk materials handling. Other products were introduced, other industries served, other problems solved.

In the 1950's there were VIBROLLER® and VIBROTOR® Vibrators, developed to provide high-frequency force for consolidating precast and prestressed concrete.

In the 1960's, there was the BRUTE® Vibrator, the first motor-driven eccentric vibrator, providing powerful forces for unloading rail cars and large-scale vessels.

In the 1970's, it was the BIG BLASTER® Air Cannon, the first low-pressure pneumatic air cannon. The introduction of this technology set a new world standard for the evacuation of material from large silos, bins, and bunkers.

In the 1980's, there was the TRAC-MOUNT Belt Cleaner, the first engineered conveyor belt cleaner to control carryback and improve conveyor efficiency. And there was TRAC-MOUNT Skirtboard Seal, the first engineered system to prevent spillage at conveyor loading zones.

Building on past successes, Martin Engineering turned its attention in the late 1980's to the prevention of spillage and dusting at conveyor transfer points. The company developed systems to control fugitive material and improve conveyor efficiency. In addition, the company developed in-field installation and service capabilities to help plants control the "cost of ownership" for bulk material handling operations.

Educating the Industry

To educate the industry on the philosophy and technologies required to prevent dust and spillage from conveyors and transfer points, the company published a comprehensive hardcover book, FOUNDATIONS™, in 1991. With the fourth edition scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2009, the FOUNDATIONS™ series continues to be the only practical resource for total dust and material control.

In recent years, Martin Engineering has added dust collection and dust suppression systems to provide a total solution to the problem of dust management in material handling operations. The company continues to expand its capabilities for engineered systems, including turnkey air-supported conveyors, and custom-engineered chutes.

To reach its markets, the company has established licensees and representatives around the world, including operations in Mexico, Brazil, China, France, Germany, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, Turkey and Indonesia. A subsidiary in Michigan, Vibration Systems and Solutions, is focused on "new generation" applications for vibration in the movement of bulk materials. Martin Engineering offices in Washington specialize in custom engineered Leading Edge Conveyor Technologies and installation services.

Today, the company is recognized as the worldwide authority for total dust control in bulk handling systems. Nearly 63 years after Edwin F. Peterson's initial vision, Martin Engineering continues to make the handling of bulk materials cleaner, safer, and more productive. The company he founded will remain focused on that mission now and in the future.