A century of metal solutions
Gaterman Manufacturing helps farmers reduce crop loss
By Charlie
Mathews Herald Times Reporter–
MANITOWOC — It's
difficult enough for farmers to make a profit without bad weather damaging their
crops.
A Manitowoc company has helped come to the aid of the agriculture community
since its founding in 1903.
Gaterman Manufacturing helps save extra bushels of grain, soybeans, milo, canola
and other seed crops with its steel "Pick-Up Guards" fabricated in its downtown
plant on 15th Street.
The flexible, floating pick-up guards hug uneven land, and lift the crop, which
may have been beaten down by an early snow, above the cutter bar of the farmer's
combine.
William C. Gaterman III is the majority owner and president of the company
bearing his family name, started by his great grandfather who designed the
original farm machine attachments.
But as plant geneticists engineer crops to be shorter in height and less
susceptible to getting knocked down by, for example, high winds, the company may
concentrate more on producing components for the automotive industry.
That would be a natural fit for Gaterman because he was formerly involved with
an aftermarket manufacturer and marketer of high performance camshafts and valve
train components.
The valve train controls intake and exhaust of fuel and combusted gases. Any
mechanical advances leading to enhanced fuel efficiency and power would be
highly desirable.
"I have been working on designing and sourcing automotive valve train products,
and using this company for assembly," said Gaterman, who lives in Daytona Beach,
Fla. "That product line would replace our farm implement line as it fades away."
In addition to four front office employees, Gaterman employs about 10
individuals in the plant who also fabricate a variety of parts out of different
forms of steel and aluminum for clients in Wisconsin, including Manitowoc Crane
and Lakeside Foods in the Lakeshore area.
"They tend to have to be more craftsmen-fabricators than laborers," said Paul
Brice, general manager.
Brice started as a brake operator, and became a foreman before his current
position.
Stress on education
Gaterman said the company prefers to promote from within, and "we will pay for
education having anything to do with our work."
The men in the plant do their own machine setups, and program Computer
Numerically Controlled equipment including high definition plasma burning tables
and turret punch.
Among the products produced are bins and baskets, carts, catwalks, chutes,
conveyors, shelving, stairways, storage racks and tanks.
Glenn Gaterman is the vice president, and uncle to Bill Gaterman, who is
responsible for product sales and has helped promote the attachments line for
decades. The nephew said his uncle has a "wealth of knowledge" that benefits the
company.
One product Gaterman produces that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of
occupation or industry affiliation, are its personalized fire rings.
They are 30 inches in diameter, 11 inches high, made of one-eighth inch thick
steel, and weigh 40 pounds.
Selling for $140, they are supplied in four bolt together sections consisting of
two panels with a theme design — Patriotic, Southwestern, Desert, North Woods,
Nautical, Christmas — and two name panels for a personal touch, e.g. "The Jones"
and "Wisconsin."
'Just strangling'
Bill Gaterman said his company has to cope with escalating cost of different
metal stock. "We can't do anything about them and, sometimes depending on the
customer, we can't pass along" the increased charges from steel and aluminum
mills and wholesalers.
"The biggest problem we have is health care," he said. "It's just strangling
companies like ours. We cover 100 percent of the premium for our employees and
their dependents, if there's no other health insurance coverage in the family."
He said Gaterman Manufacturing has gone to health savings accounts with cash to
employees to help cover high deductibles. "We're happy with it," Gaterman said.
He said what continues to be enjoyable is meeting or exceeding customer
expectations, providing a satisfactory work environment for employees, and
making a profit.
For more information, go online to
www.gaterman.com