Thew Shovel
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing, Heavy equipment |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Founder | Captain Richard Thew |
| Headquarters | Lorain, Ohio , United States |
| Products | Power shovels, cranes, earthmoving equipment |
| Parent | Koehring Co. (from 1964), Terex Corporation (from 1987) |
The Thew Automatic Shovel Company was established in 1899 by Captain Richard Thew in Lorain, Ohio, specializing in the manufacture of power shovels and cranes.
Captain Thew created the first fully rotating steam shovel in the United States, which resolved inefficiencies in handling ore at Great Lakes ports. Prior steam shovels of the "railroad-type" variety had restricted boom movement, necessitating manual unloading of iron ore.[1][2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Collaborating with shovel designer H.H. Harris, Thew engineered a machine capable of 360° slewing. The initial prototype was constructed at Variety Iron Works in Cleveland in 1895. As interest increased, the company was formally founded in 1899 to meet production demands.
Thew Automatic Shovel pioneered advancements in earthmoving equipment, introducing electric-powered shovels by 1912 to lessen pollution from steam models and adopting gasoline-powered shovels around 1914. Their 1945 Lorain TL Series incorporated fully welded superstructures, and in 1952 the company patented a "shear ball" bearing slew ring to improve efficiency.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Company history
Expanding its range of earth-moving shovels and cranes, the firm was renamed the Lorain Shovel Company in 1924. During World War II, Thew contributed to the war effort by motivating machinery owners to pledge support and producing training manuals for mechanics, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness. The company received an Army-Navy "E" Award for its manufacturing achievements.
In 1951, Thew obtained contracts from the U.S. government for power shovels and cranes. By 1956, it had acquired Dixie Crane Shovel Company, Byers Machine Company, and gained majority ownership of Artisan Metal Works. In 1957, its headquarters and manufacturing facilities were located in Lorain, Ohio, while parts and bronze production operated out of Elyria. Despite technological progress, numerous original Thew automatic shovels remained operational due to their durability.
Thew operated an international division; in 1962 it formed a partnership with Tokyo-based Uraga-Tamashima Diesel Kogyo K.K. to produce Thew equipment for the Japanese market, including shovels, cranes, and Moto-Loaders.
Confronted with declining sales, Thew became the Thew-Lorain Division of Koehring Co. in 1964. Ultimately, in 1987 it was acquired by Terex Corporation, broadening Terex’s presence and product offerings within heavy equipment manufacturing.
Leadership
F.A. Smythe held the presidency of Thew Shovel Co. for 46 years, providing steady leadership. In 1945, his son C.B. Smythe assumed the role, continuing the company’s executive tradition.