Stedman Machine Company
Encyclopedia
Stedman Machine Company is a manufacturer of crusher equipment in Aurora, IN, U.S.A. that was founded by Nathan R. Stedman in 1834.
Stedman owes its origin to the market that was created in the South
many years ago for iron nuts and screws for use by planters and others in assembling their cotton and hay presses.
In 1834, Andrew Jackson
was President of the United States (all 24 of them), Cyrus McCormick
received a patent for his mechanical reaper and Stedman Foundry and Machine Works was established in Rising Sun, Indiana, by Nathan R. Stedman. A molder by trade, Nathan R. Stedman was born in New Jersey in 1814. His father, who had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War, moved the family to Connecticut while Nathan was a child. Some time later, young Stedman moved to Cincinnati where he worked in a foundry
. In 1840, the company moved to Aurora, Indiana, to a site near the B & O Depot. Initially the company produced castings for cotton gins, hay and cotton presses, saw mills, stoves and various types of castings. As the business developed, the company began manufacturing sawmill and stationary steam engines. The Stedman steam engine was a favorite through the West and South, as well as with various manufacturers in Aurora.
During the Civil War
years, 1861 to 1865, the company’s product line changed to support the war effort. Stedman was contracted to build twelve smoothbore cannon for the Union. Each of the resulting cannon were slated to be placed in the twelve Indiana counties along the Ohio River. The result was the production of six heavy 6-lb cannon and one carriage, the cost of which was $904.07. A test firing of Stedman guns was reported in March 1862, which caused a barrage of retaliation fire from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. It is unknown if the remaining six cannon were ever made; however two of the original cannon are still known to exist today. The first is Cannon No. 5, which has been restored by South Bend Replicas, and resides on loan from Franklin County, Indiana, in the Indianapolis State Museum. The second Stedman Cannon, Gun No. 1, has found its way into private ownership and was last seen on public display during a Sesquicentennial celebration in Muncie, Indiana, where it was rumored to have been fired with a live shot, skipping the ball across the water of a reservoir in the area. Hundreds of tons of machine tool castings were also furnished to manufacturers of machine tools in the Cincinnati area for the manufacture of munitions at a time when they were most needed. After the war, the country began to recover; and the Stedman steam engine hit peak production.
In 1885, the company began to manufacturer fertilizer machinery. The early cage mills were primarily used to crush non-abrasive materials. The first cage mill was shipped April 22, 1886; and the first cage mill to be shipped overseas was in December, 1890, to Kennedy Brick Machinery Manufacturing in Liverpool, England. Patents were granted to Nathan P. Stedman son of Nathan R. Stedman on April 10, 1894, for the disintegrator, as the patent named the machines. We know these machines today as Cage Mills. The machines soon became known for their performance under the most severe crushing conditions. Stedman’s first pan mixer was shipped to a customer in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1897; and the Stedman family continued to search for new markets for their products. Another monument to the company was furnishing of the castings for the Vine and Sycamore Street cable lines in Denver and New York City.
In 1912, the business had to move to a larger area. A new plant was built in the Cochran area, on a site still formerly occupied by an Ohio and Mississippi Rail Road service garage where it exists today. That same year, the Stedman family sold the business to Cincinnati industrialists Stuart P. Sutphin, Chester A. Peebles and Perin Langdon. The company began operation as two divisions, the foundry division and the machinery division. The foundry continued to produce castings for manufacturers of machine tools, valves, pumps, presses, motors, blowers and tool and die equipment. The machinery division’s product line expanded to include crushing, pulverizing, disintegrating, mixing and screening equipment for the fertilizer, chemical, meat packing, crushed stone, sand and gravel and glass industries. The company was conveniently located for the delivery of goods to the boat landing or the railroad.
In 1949, the company was acquired by United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after which time Mr. Sutphin, Mr. Peebles and Mr. Langdon resigned. New by-laws were adopted. The Board of Directors consisted of K.C. Gardner, Geoffrey G. Beard, George V. Lang and James S. Crawford, all of Pennsylvania, and A.E. Schneider, Aurora. , The parent company merged with Wean Industries in 1968, and Stedman became a Wean United company. Both divisions continued to operate, but emission control and environmental regulations began to haunt the foundry division.
In 1966, a major expansion of the machine shop was completed. At that time, the company employed 220 persons. New designs were added, and in 1972 the company shipped the first of its newly designed flared cage mill to Webster Brick, Roanoke, Virginia. The foundry division continued to operate, and in 1970 installed equipment for cupola
emission control.
The machinery division continued to grow. In 1978, a new test lab was constructed. The company continued to design new equipment and improve the current product line. In spite of the growth of the machinery division, the foundry division would have to undergo substantial further expenditures to bring it into conformance with EPA
, OSHA
and other agency regulations. No longer economically feasible to continue, foundry operations were terminated on June 30, 1980. The machinery division now represented the company’s total activity, and the company name was changed to Stedman Machine Company.
New additions to the crusher line were added. The first “G” series of multi cage mills was shipped to ADM, Decatur, Illinois. In 1983, the first “Grand Slam” secondary impactor was shipped to Ohio Asphaltic, Hillsboro, Ohio.
In 1984, Stedman celebrated its 150th anniversary, The year of the company’s 150th anniversary also brought another new product. The company designed and manufactured a portable plant (which would allow moving the plant from one job site to another) to be used primarily to crush asphalt for recycling, but could also be used to crush all other types of materials.
In 1985, Stedman signed a technical licensing agreement with Otsuka Iron Works Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, which allows Stedman to manufacture and market Otsuka jaw crushers. Due to an unstable economy, the decision was made to discontinue manufacturing operations and “job” manufacturing out to area shops. Except for a very small assembly department, the manufacturing facilities were idle. In 1987, the company shipped its first jaw crusher to the J.W. Jones Company, Paragon, Indiana. The company, by this time, realized they had no control over quality, delivery and price for the “jobbed” manufacturing and began to return manufacturing operations to their facility
On September 1, 1990, the company was purchased by Eagle Crusher Company, Inc., Galion, Ohio. Stedman operates as a division of Eagle. In January, 1993, administrative, sales and engineering personnel moved into a newly erected office building. Total employees at that time numbered 53. The company designed a larger, heavier secondary impactor, and in 1994, shipped its first “Mega Slam” impactor to Ohio Ready Mix, Forrest, Ohio. The company continued to grow with a total employment of 70 in 1996.
Early history indicated the company’s focus was on the future. This concept has continued throughout the years. In 1996, the company began focusing on new marketing ideas. Stedman crushers have primarily been identified with the aggregate
industry, but Stedman is gaining new ground in industrial markets for their line of crushers as well as their ability to develop complete crushing, screening, and conveying systems.
Stedman’s line of crushing equipment is marketed worldwide. Many of the earliest machines manufactured by the company are still in operation.
Stedman maintains a test facility which utilizes full-size reduction equipment and allows customers to witness testing of the product prior to purchasing Stedman equipment.
Stedman has a staff of 54 employees of which 19 employees have over 20 years of individual service. In 2011, Stedman has a combined total of over 860 years of experience.
Management consists of Dennis M. Gilmour, President; Christopher J. Nawalaniec, National Sales Manager; David M. Vest, Manufacturing Manager; George R. Potter, Materials Manager; Jason C. Potter, Engineering Manager; Doug E. Weber, Parts and Service Manager.
1840 - Stedman moves from Rising Sun Indiana to Aurora Indiana
1861 - Stedman is commissioned to build twelve 6lb cannon for the Union
1865 - The Stedman steam engine goes into peak production
1886 - Stedman builds disintegrator #1 also known as a cage mill for Oakland Pressed Brick, in Zanesville, Ohio
1890 - Stedman ships its first international disintegrator to Kennedy Brick Machinery Manufacturing Co., in Liverpool, England
1893 - Stedman is incorporated as Stedman Foundry and Machine Works
1894 - Stedman is awarded 2 patents for the cage mill style disintegrator
1912 - Stedman is purchased by Stuart P. Sutphin, Chester A. Peebles and Perin Langdon and moves to Cochran Indiana where it exists today.
1924- - George M. Stedman son of founder Nathan P. Stedman and the last Stedman to work at Stedman Machine Company retires
1929-1940 - During the Great Depression Stedman kept the economy moving forward by producing Hammer Mills, Disintegrators, Mixers, Crushers, and screens
1941-1945 - Stedman produces 100's of tons of castings for the war effort including turret rings and machine tool castings.
1949 - Stedman is acquired by United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, PA
1966 - Stedman completes a major machine shop expansion
1968 - Stedman's parent company merges with Wean Industries, and Stedman becomes a Wean United Company
1970 - Stedman builds the largest cage mill to date, a massive 60-S single cage mill weighing in at a staggering 45,000 pounds
1980 - No longer economically feasible to continue, Stedman foundry operations are terminated.
1983 - Stedman ships the first GrandSlam(tm) horizontal shaft impactor to Ohio Asphaltic, in Hillsboro, Ohio
1990 - Stedman is purchased by Eagle Crusher Company
1994 - The first MegaSlam(tm) primary horizontal shaft impactor is shipped to Ohio Ready Mix, in Forrest, Ohio
1999 - The first Stedman V-Slam(tm) vertical shaft impactor is shipped to OMG Americas-Apex OP, St. George, UT
2009 - Stedman celebrates 175 years in business and is also awarded 3 patents for improvements to vertical shaft impactors
2010 - Stedman completes a colossal 60 ton MegaSlam (tm) primary for use in an underground limestone mine
2011 - Stedman is awarded another patent for improvements to vertical shaft impactors
Stedman owes its origin to the market that was created in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
many years ago for iron nuts and screws for use by planters and others in assembling their cotton and hay presses.
In 1834, Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
was President of the United States (all 24 of them), Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus Hall McCormick, Sr. was an American inventor and founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of International Harvester Company in 1902.He and many members of the McCormick family became prominent Chicagoans....
received a patent for his mechanical reaper and Stedman Foundry and Machine Works was established in Rising Sun, Indiana, by Nathan R. Stedman. A molder by trade, Nathan R. Stedman was born in New Jersey in 1814. His father, who had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War, moved the family to Connecticut while Nathan was a child. Some time later, young Stedman moved to Cincinnati where he worked in a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
. In 1840, the company moved to Aurora, Indiana, to a site near the B & O Depot. Initially the company produced castings for cotton gins, hay and cotton presses, saw mills, stoves and various types of castings. As the business developed, the company began manufacturing sawmill and stationary steam engines. The Stedman steam engine was a favorite through the West and South, as well as with various manufacturers in Aurora.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
years, 1861 to 1865, the company’s product line changed to support the war effort. Stedman was contracted to build twelve smoothbore cannon for the Union. Each of the resulting cannon were slated to be placed in the twelve Indiana counties along the Ohio River. The result was the production of six heavy 6-lb cannon and one carriage, the cost of which was $904.07. A test firing of Stedman guns was reported in March 1862, which caused a barrage of retaliation fire from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. It is unknown if the remaining six cannon were ever made; however two of the original cannon are still known to exist today. The first is Cannon No. 5, which has been restored by South Bend Replicas, and resides on loan from Franklin County, Indiana, in the Indianapolis State Museum. The second Stedman Cannon, Gun No. 1, has found its way into private ownership and was last seen on public display during a Sesquicentennial celebration in Muncie, Indiana, where it was rumored to have been fired with a live shot, skipping the ball across the water of a reservoir in the area. Hundreds of tons of machine tool castings were also furnished to manufacturers of machine tools in the Cincinnati area for the manufacture of munitions at a time when they were most needed. After the war, the country began to recover; and the Stedman steam engine hit peak production.
In 1885, the company began to manufacturer fertilizer machinery. The early cage mills were primarily used to crush non-abrasive materials. The first cage mill was shipped April 22, 1886; and the first cage mill to be shipped overseas was in December, 1890, to Kennedy Brick Machinery Manufacturing in Liverpool, England. Patents were granted to Nathan P. Stedman son of Nathan R. Stedman on April 10, 1894, for the disintegrator, as the patent named the machines. We know these machines today as Cage Mills. The machines soon became known for their performance under the most severe crushing conditions. Stedman’s first pan mixer was shipped to a customer in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1897; and the Stedman family continued to search for new markets for their products. Another monument to the company was furnishing of the castings for the Vine and Sycamore Street cable lines in Denver and New York City.
In 1912, the business had to move to a larger area. A new plant was built in the Cochran area, on a site still formerly occupied by an Ohio and Mississippi Rail Road service garage where it exists today. That same year, the Stedman family sold the business to Cincinnati industrialists Stuart P. Sutphin, Chester A. Peebles and Perin Langdon. The company began operation as two divisions, the foundry division and the machinery division. The foundry continued to produce castings for manufacturers of machine tools, valves, pumps, presses, motors, blowers and tool and die equipment. The machinery division’s product line expanded to include crushing, pulverizing, disintegrating, mixing and screening equipment for the fertilizer, chemical, meat packing, crushed stone, sand and gravel and glass industries. The company was conveniently located for the delivery of goods to the boat landing or the railroad.
In 1949, the company was acquired by United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after which time Mr. Sutphin, Mr. Peebles and Mr. Langdon resigned. New by-laws were adopted. The Board of Directors consisted of K.C. Gardner, Geoffrey G. Beard, George V. Lang and James S. Crawford, all of Pennsylvania, and A.E. Schneider, Aurora. , The parent company merged with Wean Industries in 1968, and Stedman became a Wean United company. Both divisions continued to operate, but emission control and environmental regulations began to haunt the foundry division.
In 1966, a major expansion of the machine shop was completed. At that time, the company employed 220 persons. New designs were added, and in 1972 the company shipped the first of its newly designed flared cage mill to Webster Brick, Roanoke, Virginia. The foundry division continued to operate, and in 1970 installed equipment for cupola
Cupola furnace
A Cupola or Cupola furnace is a melting device used in foundries that can be used to melt cast iron, ni-resist iron and some bronzes. The cupola can be made almost any practical size. The size of a cupola is expressed in diameters and can range from . The overall shape is cylindrical and the...
emission control.
The machinery division continued to grow. In 1978, a new test lab was constructed. The company continued to design new equipment and improve the current product line. In spite of the growth of the machinery division, the foundry division would have to undergo substantial further expenditures to bring it into conformance with EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
, OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
and other agency regulations. No longer economically feasible to continue, foundry operations were terminated on June 30, 1980. The machinery division now represented the company’s total activity, and the company name was changed to Stedman Machine Company.
New additions to the crusher line were added. The first “G” series of multi cage mills was shipped to ADM, Decatur, Illinois. In 1983, the first “Grand Slam” secondary impactor was shipped to Ohio Asphaltic, Hillsboro, Ohio.
In 1984, Stedman celebrated its 150th anniversary, The year of the company’s 150th anniversary also brought another new product. The company designed and manufactured a portable plant (which would allow moving the plant from one job site to another) to be used primarily to crush asphalt for recycling, but could also be used to crush all other types of materials.
In 1985, Stedman signed a technical licensing agreement with Otsuka Iron Works Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, which allows Stedman to manufacture and market Otsuka jaw crushers. Due to an unstable economy, the decision was made to discontinue manufacturing operations and “job” manufacturing out to area shops. Except for a very small assembly department, the manufacturing facilities were idle. In 1987, the company shipped its first jaw crusher to the J.W. Jones Company, Paragon, Indiana. The company, by this time, realized they had no control over quality, delivery and price for the “jobbed” manufacturing and began to return manufacturing operations to their facility
On September 1, 1990, the company was purchased by Eagle Crusher Company, Inc., Galion, Ohio. Stedman operates as a division of Eagle. In January, 1993, administrative, sales and engineering personnel moved into a newly erected office building. Total employees at that time numbered 53. The company designed a larger, heavier secondary impactor, and in 1994, shipped its first “Mega Slam” impactor to Ohio Ready Mix, Forrest, Ohio. The company continued to grow with a total employment of 70 in 1996.
Early history indicated the company’s focus was on the future. This concept has continued throughout the years. In 1996, the company began focusing on new marketing ideas. Stedman crushers have primarily been identified with the aggregate
Construction Aggregate
Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined material in the world...
industry, but Stedman is gaining new ground in industrial markets for their line of crushers as well as their ability to develop complete crushing, screening, and conveying systems.
Stedman’s line of crushing equipment is marketed worldwide. Many of the earliest machines manufactured by the company are still in operation.
Stedman maintains a test facility which utilizes full-size reduction equipment and allows customers to witness testing of the product prior to purchasing Stedman equipment.
Stedman has a staff of 54 employees of which 19 employees have over 20 years of individual service. In 2011, Stedman has a combined total of over 860 years of experience.
Management consists of Dennis M. Gilmour, President; Christopher J. Nawalaniec, National Sales Manager; David M. Vest, Manufacturing Manager; George R. Potter, Materials Manager; Jason C. Potter, Engineering Manager; Doug E. Weber, Parts and Service Manager.
TimeLine
1834 - Stedman Machine Company is Founded in Rising Sun Indiana as Rising Sun Ironworks1840 - Stedman moves from Rising Sun Indiana to Aurora Indiana
1861 - Stedman is commissioned to build twelve 6lb cannon for the Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
1865 - The Stedman steam engine goes into peak production
1886 - Stedman builds disintegrator #1 also known as a cage mill for Oakland Pressed Brick, in Zanesville, Ohio
1890 - Stedman ships its first international disintegrator to Kennedy Brick Machinery Manufacturing Co., in Liverpool, England
1893 - Stedman is incorporated as Stedman Foundry and Machine Works
1894 - Stedman is awarded 2 patents for the cage mill style disintegrator
1912 - Stedman is purchased by Stuart P. Sutphin, Chester A. Peebles and Perin Langdon and moves to Cochran Indiana where it exists today.
1924- - George M. Stedman son of founder Nathan P. Stedman and the last Stedman to work at Stedman Machine Company retires
1929-1940 - During the Great Depression Stedman kept the economy moving forward by producing Hammer Mills, Disintegrators, Mixers, Crushers, and screens
1941-1945 - Stedman produces 100's of tons of castings for the war effort including turret rings and machine tool castings.
1949 - Stedman is acquired by United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, PA
1966 - Stedman completes a major machine shop expansion
1968 - Stedman's parent company merges with Wean Industries, and Stedman becomes a Wean United Company
1970 - Stedman builds the largest cage mill to date, a massive 60-S single cage mill weighing in at a staggering 45,000 pounds
1980 - No longer economically feasible to continue, Stedman foundry operations are terminated.
1983 - Stedman ships the first GrandSlam(tm) horizontal shaft impactor to Ohio Asphaltic, in Hillsboro, Ohio
1990 - Stedman is purchased by Eagle Crusher Company
1994 - The first MegaSlam(tm) primary horizontal shaft impactor is shipped to Ohio Ready Mix, in Forrest, Ohio
1999 - The first Stedman V-Slam(tm) vertical shaft impactor is shipped to OMG Americas-Apex OP, St. George, UT
2009 - Stedman celebrates 175 years in business and is also awarded 3 patents for improvements to vertical shaft impactors
2010 - Stedman completes a colossal 60 ton MegaSlam (tm) primary for use in an underground limestone mine
2011 - Stedman is awarded another patent for improvements to vertical shaft impactors