may2022 - 42

CELEBRATING
Anniversary
Historical Highlights
of the GSE Industry
As Ground Support Worldwide continues to celebrate its 30th year,
we look back at key moments in the industry's history.
BY JOSH SMITH
A
s part of our publication's
anniversary celebration, we
wanted to look back at key
moments in the GSE industry. So,
we're revisiting the ground support
retrospective article former editor
Steve Smith wrote in 2013. Take a look
at this brief sampling of various GSE
milestones and be sure to read Steve's
comprehensive article in its entirety at
www.AviationPros.com/10863157.
1705 - The Goldhofer family starts a
forge in Amending, Germany.
1860 - What eventually will become
the TLD Group begins with a silk-weaving
business in Lyon, France.
1902 - Wilbur Wright becomes the
world's first ramp agent as Orville Wright
took off from the sand at Kill Devil Hills
aboard the Wright Flyer.
1928 - Two years after founding Kato
Engineering, owners Elmer Jensen and
Louis Wilkinson hire Cecil Jones, who
develops a rotary converter that lets
rural families operate AC appliances with
DC storage batteries.
1935 - E.P. " Ed " Grime starts the Malabar
Machine Co. In just a few years, Lockheed
asks Grime to build the first tripod
jacks specifically for aircraft.
1939-1945 - Aviation has a huge
impact on the course of World War II and
the war has just as significant an impact
on aviation. More names of well-known
GSE manufacturers can be recognized.
For example, the Northwestern Motor
Company - the " NMC " of NMC-Wollard
- introduces a tow tractor. Stewart &
Stevenson builds hundreds of tractors
for the Air Force. Columbus Jack gets its
start selling most of its production to the
military. The David Clark Co. begins specializing
in protective equipment.
42 || Ground Support Worldwide || May 2022
In the 1950s,
TracMa introduced
a new type of
tractor for the
aviation market.
1945-1959 - Commercial aviation
starts to take off. By this time, a host of
international GSE manufacturers are
well on their way to building specialized
equipment for commercial aviation.
Wilt and Violet Paulson start the Willamette
Aircraft and Engine Co., which
later becomes better known as LEKTRO.
Garsite, LLC starts manufacturing aircraft
refuelers, hydrant dispensers,
fuel delivery trucks, above-ground fuel
storage tanks, aviation fueling systems
and vacuum pumper trucks. Jim Kaplan
starts Harlan Corp. to rent and rebuild
lift trucks.
1960 - FMC Corporation's engineers
start building some of the first deicer
vehicles that use aerial devices to
spray aircraft.
Clyde W. Olson starts Clyde Machines
Inc. and full production of GSE begins
shortly thereafter.
1963 - U.S. Airmotive GSE begins
providing a full line of GSE parts and supplies
for the industry.
1968 - Robert Watkins starts General
Transervice Inc., an airport refueler
maintenance company at PHL.
1969 - Eagle Tugs introduces its bobtail
cargo tractor, a model still in production.
1972 - SAGE Parts opens to distribute
parts and service for the GSE industry.
1973 - TUG Manufacturing
Corp. is founded.
1979 - Jim Watkins starts WASP, Inc.,
specializing in non-motorized GSE.
1987 - Matt Sheehan starts AERO
Specialties, a manufacturer and distributor
of new and used GSE throughout
the world.
1990s - George Prill starts GSE Today.
TLD creates its GSE division and
acquires TracMa, Albret Industries,
Erma, Devtec and Lantis. By the end
of the decade, TLD decides to specialize
in GSE.
YEARS
http://www.AviationPros.com/10863157
may2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of may2022
