Page 24 - AWA Vol.41-No.2

IRRIGATION

T-L Irrigation Co. Celebrates 70 Years

Of Irrigation Innovation

n January 1, Hastings, Neb.,
Obased T-L Irrigation Co. cel-
ebrated not just a new year, but
their 70th year of supplying inno-
vative, reliable irrigation solutions
to farmers the world over. Reach-
ing their platinum anniversary is a
testament to the will and dedica-
tion to excellence first modeled by
company founder LeRoy Thom.

“Persistence was one of many
things my dad was great at and in-
sisted upon. When we were work-
ing on a prototype it was never if
it was going to work, it was when
it was going to work,” says David
Thom, president of family owned
and operated T-L Irrigation Co. engineer’s drawing board may not ate T-L Irrigation along with multi-
Throughout the decades T-L Ir- look so good in the mud 20 years ple other family members. They’re
rigation has helped their farming from now. As a result, we’re never proud to see the next generation
customers adopt increasingly effi- quick to release a product. We pri- embracing the same passion for
cient and effective irrigation tech- oritize making sure our products the
nologies. Starting as a supplier run for a long time and are made industry and their customers.
of irrigation equipment, they took right for the market,” Thom says.
their first step into manufacturing Every piece of equipment from “It’s always been driven into me
with the purchase of an aluminum tires to telemetry is tested exten- that if our customers are success-
pipe tube mill to make pipe for sively on Thom family farms and ful, we’ll be successful,” says John
gravity irrigation. must rise to their standards before Thom, vice president at T-L Irriga-
In 1969 came the first T-L Irriga- being offered to farmers. Reliable, tion and part of the third genera-
tion of the Thom family to serve in
tion pivot—a novel hydrostatic easy-to-repair products that per- the company. “A core value within
drive-powered pivot in a market- formed consistently in the field
place flooded by water, hydraulic helped bolster an ever-increasing our family is to make products that
and electric-drive systems. The customer base over the years. just work and keep on working. I’m
straightforward and effective tech- Thom recalls it being very exciting proud to be a part of this legacy.”
nology continues to be the corner- when they started selling pivots T-L Irrigation Co. is a family-
stone of the extensive T-L product across the state line into Colorado. owned irrigation solutions busi-
lineup. Now the family’s pivots are at work ness based in Hastings, Neb. For
A reputation for quality and dura- in 87 70 years they’ve been committed
bility helped T-L Irrigation emerge countries on six continents. to providing reliable and high-
as an industry leader during the quality center pivots, irrigation
pivot manufacturing boom of the “We’re a family business and our systems, agriculture and irriga-
1970s and 1980s. At one point, customers run family businesses. tion equipment, and innovative
there were more than 70 pivot I’ve always enjoyed designing new water management products that
manufacturers in the United States, products that can help our custom- are intuitive for farmers to use and
Thom says. T-L Irrigation is one of ers be more profitable now and repair. They distribute throughout
just four remaining manufacturers. into the future,” Thom says. the United States and to 87 coun-
“We know what looks good on an Thom and his brother, Jim, oper- tries. Circle 33 on enquiry card
22 Vol. 41 No. 2