Schaeff, Inc. (1947-)

The North American Manufacturing Company (NAMCO) was founded in 1947 by Elmer Hansen in Sioux City, Iowa. The company initially consisted of Hansen and one other employee who manufactured a self-unloading and bulkhead feed wagon (the Grain-O-Vator) invented by Hansen in the early 1940s. The original factory was a 50' by 70' garage in downtown Sioux City. In 1955, Hansen developed the Bulkanizer for bulk feed handling highway trucks. Hansen's next invention was the NAMCO forklift truck that went on the market in the Summer of 1962. The NAMCO forklift truck (available in electric, gasoline, or propane models) was unveiled at the October Products Show in Des Moines, Iowa. By 1973, NAMCO manufactured ten different styles of self-unloading wagons, including one model brand labeled for John Deere. Through 1975, NAMCO manufactured a chassis for International Harvester’s motor home and their “multi-stop” trucks (used in the delivery of milk, bread, and mail); and also produced auger elevators, chisel plows, and OEMed snow blower flighting.

In 1978, the company was purchased by Don Stoterau and Group (George Wattonville, Otto Ermler, and Del Norton) and renamed NAMCO, Inc. In October 1981, the company was purchased by Karl Schaeff GmbH and Company of Germany. At this time the company's name changed to Schaeff-Namco, Inc. and it began manufacturing a line of construction equipment, including a backhoe attachment for farm tractors. In March 1987, the name was shortened to Schaeff, Inc. and the line of farm equipment was discontinued and sold to Four Star (March of 1988). In 1995 the company introduced the Warehousing Series electric, stand-up, counterbalance lift truck and in 1999 introduced a new model, the Echo 3000. In 2000, the NAMCO forklift was reintroduced to meet the market need for a small, narrow forklift.

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