Cutting through 'dirty power'

摘要

A Wisconsin manufacturer of farm equipment finds that new plasma cutting technology stays steady- even when the power to run it does not. America's Dairyland - also known as Wisconsin - is a state of scattered population centers and rolling farmland. Towns like Embarrass, located in the north-central region of the state, are typical: A small town flanked on all sides by corn and cows. It's there you'll find Peterson Built Products, a dealer of tractors, skid steers, and farm implements. Peterson Built Products is also an official distributor of farm equipment made by Peterson Mfg. Corp.- both of which have been owned and operated by Bill Peterson since 1959. Located a mile out of town, Peterson Mfg. fabricates feeders, trailers, harrows, buckets, manure spreaders, and bale spears sold throughout the Midwest. Like any other shop "out in the country," Peterson Mfg. experiences "dirty power" - drops and fluctuations in voltage that can hamper the use of critical equipment, including plasma cutters. Peterson doesn't have the same name recognition as John Deere, but its products are looked upon as durable and of the highest quality. "We build a good product," says Peterson. "We've been making feeders for 40 years. They last a long time, and when needed, people come back to buy more. We don't implement any fancy marketing either. We've ran the same ad with the same pictures for years. Customers call up and say, 'I like the second one on the left.' So we build one, and give it to them. We go to Farm Progress Days (farm trade show and expo) and talk to people who've had our feeders for 10 years and they're impressed. We really like what we're doing here."