In 1956 Loftness Manufacturing, the forerunner of Loftness Specialized Equipment, Inc., had its beginnings in a farm shop owned by Dick Loftness, a Hector, MN farmer. Dick had made a V-type snowblower for his own use. A few neighbors saw the blower and asked if Dick would make one for them. Soon Dick had made several of the snowblowers, and Loftness Manufacturing was launched.
Gradually, the sales grew until it reached the point where Dick could no longer operate at the farm. He moved the business into a small, vacant building in Hector and employed a few farmers who were not busy in the winter. In 1970, Marv Nelson, a local farmer, began acting as a distributor for Dick. He bought the snowblowers directly from Loftness and traveled the upper Midwest, selling them to farm implement dealers. Gradually, sales increased, and the Loftness Snowblower name was beginning to be recognized. Loftness Manufacturing was once again moved in 1975, this time into a building Dick had built in Hector. The company continued to grow, but by 1979 Dick decided to sell. Marv Nelson bought the business, controlling production as well as distribution. Semi-trucks were purchased, and snowblowers were delivered directly to dealers. Up to this point, snowblowers were the only product manufactured. Sales fluctuated widely; since they were dictated solely by weather. Another product was needed to smooth the peaks and valleys of sales.
As the business increased, additions to the plant were built, equipment was added as needed, and the number of year-around employees grew. Loftness products are sold coast to coast across the United States, in Canada, Mexico, Chile, France, Japan and Australia.
From the beginning, Marv Nelson wanted to build the best product for the money, and his dream still lives on today. Top grade steel welded with high quality wire and argon gas, along with top of the line components and pride of workmanship goes into every single Loftness product from the 4 foot snowblower to the 30 foot multi-crop shredder. Rigorous testing ensures a problem-free machine. Dedication to reliability and service build solid customer relationships.
