Merritt’s roots can be traced back to the 19th century. Over 150 years later, we remain committed to the same principles and values of our founders. Our goal is to supply our customers with innovative, reliable, quality equipment backed by first-rate customer service. Our machines will work, they will work the way you want them to, and we guarantee it. • 1851 - Thomas R. Bailey, inventor of the Bailey Gauge Lathe, starts a small machinery business in Lockport, New York • 1870's - The first veneer machine is built and marketed. • 1882 - Isaac Merritt acquires the assets of T.R. Bailey and forms I.E. Merritt Machinery Co. • 1901 - Merritt’s sons, Louis and Herbert Merritt, incorporate as Merritt Manufacturing Company. Louis Merritt holds several patents that lead to international demand for Merritt veneer lathes and hot-plate dryers. • 1920 - The company becomes Merritt Engineering and Sales Co., Inc., with Ericsson Merritt serving as President and his father, Louis Merritt, as Secretary/Treasurer. The company expands to provide not only equipment but also engineering and technical service for complete plants for the production of veneer and plywood. • 1928 - A joint venture with I.F. Laucks, Inc. of Seattle, WA leads to the development of a new process of dry gluing. Laucks builds a plant adjoining the Merritt facility in Lockport to produce a synthetic resin used in plywood lamination. This is the first plant in the United States to produce spray dried urea resin adhesive. “The choice of materials, honest workmanship and a design that makes a machine dependable and long lived — those are the things that cost money but they are not showy. “Merritt” machines are designed not only to provide all the features a modern machine should have, but more importantly, to give every part in it a chance to do its best - in other words - function perfectly. That means expert designing and construction.” ©1929 Louis Merritt - Merritt Engineering & Sales Co. • 1930's - The Merritt name is established as one of the leading woodworking machinery manufacturers in the world. • 1944 - The company becomes a division of Monsanto Chemical Company and is known as Merritt-Monsanto Corp. • 1949 - Following an acquisition by Solem Machine Company of Rockford, IL, the Merritt-Solem Corp. is formed. The company produces veneer lathes, clippers, plywood presses, steam engine drives, “Dryad” veneer dryers, reeling and handling equipment, precision veneer jointers, gluing equipment, knife grinders, and drum sanders. • 1950 - Ericsson Merritt leaves the company to form Ericsson H. Merritt Corp. • 1957 - A Lockport machine shop, Diversified Manufacturing Inc., purchases the Ericsson H. Merritt Corp. • 1977 - Two former Diversified employees, sales manager Dieter Pollmann and chief engineer David Mellor, purchase the Merritt division from Diversified, and at the same time purchase the drawings and records of the former Merritt-Solem Corp., forming Pollmann-Mellor International. • 1982 - The company name is changed to Merritt Plywood Machinery, Inc. to reflect the increasing involvement in supplying spare parts for Merritt equipment. • 1984 - The first Capital slicer in the world is retrofitted with a Merritt Digital Servo Motor Carriage Drive for Indiana Veneers in Indianapolis, IN. • 1986 - The first Merritt Rotary Veneer Clipper is built for Columbia Forest Products in Presque Isle, ME. • 1991 - The first combination Merritt Rotary Veneer Clipper/Stacking System is built for Birchland Veneer in Thessalon, Ontario. • 1993 - The first Merritt Slicer Vacuum System is developed in conjunction with M. Bohlke Veneer in Fairfield, OH. • 1994 - David Mellor purchases Dieter Pollmann’s interest in the company and becomes sole owner. • 1997 - The first Merritt Burl Veneer Lathe is built for M. Bohlke Veneer in Fairfield, OH. • 2000 - The first Merritt Veneer Bunch Clipper with laser grading and conveyors is built for Marion Plywood in Marion, WI. • 2000 - The first Merritt Flitch Planer with intelligent scanning is developed in conjunction with Danzer Services in Darlington, PA. • 2004 - The first Merritt Vertical Veneer Slicer with integrated vacuum flitch table is built for International Veneer Company, Inc. in South Hill, VA.