The Story Of Maxey™ Companies

The story of Maxey™ Companies closely parallels the settlement and development of the west, both have been built on hard work, fore sightedness, and pride.

Loren Maxey was born in 1932. He grew up on a dairy farm in Northwestern Illinois, where he spent his boyhood and young adulthood. Loren served in the US Navy from 1951 to 1955.  Loren graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Farm Mechanics. After receiving his degree, Loren moved to northern Colorado for his post graduate work at Colorado State University in Agricultural Engineering while working at Forney Industries in Fort Collins from 1960 to 1964. From 1964 to 1969 he worked as Engineering Manager for Heath Farm Equipment in Fort Collins. In 1969 Maxey™ Manufacturing was born.

1969 Maxey™ Companies was founded solely for the purpose that Loren would now be directly involved in the output as well as the input of the products.

 A local Fort Collins company, manufacturing small center pivots for turf grass decided to sell its manufacturing division. The sale was a direct result of a company on the verge of bankruptcy – Loren purchased the division and Maxey™ Manufacturing was founded in a small building on Olive Ct.

Loren and his small staff continued manufacturing the pivots but found the trailer, which they transferred them on was grossly inadequate. After a few modifications a trailer was built to handle the job and the outcome Maxey™ Trailers came about within the year. At the same time the Olive Ct. building was placed on the market by its owners extremely overpriced. Loren decided a new location for Maxey™ Manufacturing was needed. After the purchase of a lot approximately a mile east of the Olive Ct facility the present Maxey™ Companies building was built. The foresightedness of Maxey 

During the first year of business Loren laid down several precepts that have been followed faithfully since. Among them is his insistence of high standards of quality. Loren vowed: “I will never put my name on an item that does not have in it the best that is in me.” One of his earlier employees chided him for constantly making changes in designs. Maxey™ Companies has continued this process by placing a strong emphasis on product development and improvement.  It has consistently devoted a higher share of its income to product research and development than most other companies in its industries.

In 1970 Loren, knowing the pivot and trailer business would not keep the company busy throughout the year became aware of a company by the name of Winter wise. Winter wise manufactured beet boxes and was up for sale. At the same time two other Denver beet bed manufacturing companies were closing their doors. Maxey™ decided to purchase the Winter wise beet beds. Now the companies product line had grown to 3 items. 

Maxey’s reputation for integrity and quality products was spreading throughout Colorado. Winter park ski resort had a need for a piece of equipment to move snow onto the ski slopes. (This was prior to the creation of the snowmaking machines.) Winter park and Maxey™ got together thus came about Maxey™ Snow Grooming Equipment.

Now the business had a product line, which would keep the employees busy throughout the year – the beet beds were built for 6 months and installed for 6 weeks. The snow grooming equipment and trailers filled out the rest of the year. The company went from 3 employees to 15 in 1972. With 20 dealers marketing products the company experienced a huge growth period.

In 1974, despite the falling prices of the sugar beet market, Maxey™ continued its rapid growth. Development of custom truck beds, introduced a full line truck equipment shop to Fort Collins, livestock beds, truck hoist and truck equipment evolved slowly and emerged ready to assume the positions of major product lines in 1975 when the beet bed manufacturing came to an end. Simultaneously the development of the 1st heavy duty 8 –10’ wide snow groomers carrying the Maxey™ Label hit the market place. The complete product line placed the Maxey™ Company in a strong position competitively.

Carl Maxey was appointed as General Manager in 1987. Immediately he became closely involved in the management actions that were successful in establishing the company on new foundations demanded by the 1990s and beyond.

1908 S.E. Frontage Rd. Fort Collins 80525  970-484-0557 or Toll Free: 1-800-456-2961   Fax 970-484-9569