Roger Minnich and two employees begin building vibrators in a gas station with a detached, three-bay garage.
In 1968, Roger Minnich and two employees began building concrete vibrators at a gas station in Mansfield, Ohio. From those humble beginnings, Minnich Manufacturing has become the industry leader in vibrators, vibrator monitoring systems and concrete dowel pin drills.
The family-owned-and-operated company kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration at World of Concrete 2018. At the show, Minnich introduced two forward-thinking vibration solutions: the Stinger electric flex shaft concrete vibrator and the M-Box control speed high cycle power converter.
“We're proud to celebrate 50 years of commitment to the industry,” said Jim Minnich, company owner and Roger's son. “My father founded this company on dedication to providing the highest-quality products and service that was second to none. As we continue to grow and evolve, we will always stay true to those roots.”
Following is a timeline of the milestones in Minnich's rich 50-year history:
1968
Minnich Manufacturing is born. Roger Minnich makes the decision to step out on his own after spending time as vice president of sales at Maginniss High Cycle Vibrators.
Roger and two employees begin building vibrators in a gas station with a detached, three-bay garage. At the shop on N. Main Street in Mansfield, Ohio, Roger begins his journey to convert concrete paving machines from high-cycle vibrators to hydraulic vibrators.
Minnich provides a complete package that powers the entire system, including vibrators/hydraulic pumps and Ford engines. He finds a demand for this conversion and travels the U.S. converting machines to the new system — a job that usually takes about three days. He builds relationships with many major paving contractors across the country.
1970-1993
Roger Minnich adds five additions to the three-car garage. During this growth period, he acquires the Maginniss vibrator line and also begins an electric flex shaft vibrator line.
1985
Roger builds his first concrete dowel pin drill at the request of a contractor. The company goes on to develop a full lineup of on-grade, on-slab, machine-mounted and utility drills, with complete drill customization capabilities to meet exact customer needs.
1993
Roger's son, Jim, enters the family business.
1995
Jim becomes the sole owner of Minnich Manufacturing.
1998
Minnich introduces the first vibrator monitoring system, called the Auto Vibe. The system monitors vibrator speeds during paving. It is first requested by the state of Iowa, but several other states soon follow suit.
Over the next few years, Minnich focuses on developing monitoring systems with advanced features such as data recording. This leads to the Auto Vibe III that not only reads and records vibrator speeds but also controls the individual speed of each vibrator by regulating hydraulic fluid.
2006
The company introduces its own dust collection system for dowel pin drills to help improve operator safety.
2008
Minnich releases its first remote-control dowel pin drill. For the operator, this means enhanced visibility and safety.
2010
Minnich introduces The Hornet, a compact, lightweight machine for drilling gas leak detection and extraction holes.
2011
Minnich moves to its current manufacturing facility. The building adds 14,000 sq. ft. to the Minnich operation, allowing for future expansion.
2018
Minnich celebrates its 50th anniversary.
For more information, call 419/903-0010 or visit www.minnich-mfg.com.
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