Minnich Manufacturing Celebrates 50 Years of Manufacturing at WOC
Minnich Manufacturing is celebrating 50 years of commitment to the equipment industry at this year’s World of Concrete. 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 a leading manufacturer of 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, Jan. 23-26 in Las Vegas (Booth C5382). 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.”
In 1968, Roger Minnich decided to step out on his own after spending time as vice president of sales at Maginniss High Cycle Vibrators. He 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 provided a complete package that powers the entire system, including vibrators/hydraulic pumps and Ford engines. He found a demand for this conversion and traveled the U.S. converting machines to the new system — a job that usually takes about three days. He built relationships with many major paving contractors across the country.
He added five additions to the three-car garage. During this growth period, Minnich acquired the Maginniss vibrator line and also begins an electric flex shaft vibrator line.
Minnich built his first concrete dowel pin drill at the request of a contractor. The company went 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.
In 1993, Minnich’s son Jim entered the family business, becoming the sole owner of Minnich Manufacturing in 1995. In 1998, Minnich introduced 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 focused on developing monitoring systems with advanced features such as data recording. This lead 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. In 2006, the company introduced its own dust collection system for dowel pin drills to help improve operator safety.
In 2008, Minnich released its first remote-control dowel pin drill. For the operator, this meant enhanced visibility and safety. In 2010, Minnich introduced The Hornet, a compact, lightweight machine for drilling gas leak detection and extraction holes. In 2011, Minnich moved to its current manufacturing facility. The building added 14,000 square feet to the Minnich operation, allowing for future expansion.
