Oskaloosa, Iowa native Thomas Ritchie
patented his first water device in 1921 by connecting underground running
water to automatic float-controlled watering equipment. Heated
with a kerosene lamp, the water remained free flowing in cold weather. Farmers liked the labor-saving qualities of Thomas Ritchie’s
patented waterer, and a new business was born.
In 1929 Ritchie incorporated and moved to an old machine shed in Marshalltown. Part of the manufacturing also took place in a small 24' x 48' machine shed in Conrad until 1943. That year, blacksmith C.D. Wilson purchased Ritchie, moved the business to Conrad, and operated the business out of a small blacksmith shop. Shortly after the move, automatic electric heat was introduced to the watering equipment helping to establish Ritchie as the leader in the industry.
After his father’s death in 1979, C. D. Wilson Jr. took
the reins of the business, and expanded its market and the technology
of the product. To meet demands, the company had gone from making six
models, to more than 40, giving it the distinction of being the largest
manufacturer and distributor of the most complete line of animal and livestock watering equipment in North America. In January
of 2004, Ritchie Industries became employee owned.
Today, 87 years later, Ritchie Industries offers
a complete line of animal watering products all over the world, and can point with pride
to an unmatched reputation for quality and integrity. We receive orders
from farmers who tell us they’re still using an original Ritchie
fountain they bought 30, 40, and even 50 years ago. That history of quality is what
guides us in the manufacturing process today. So when you buy a Ritchie,
you know it’s going to work for a long, long time.
