The Rural Voice, 2005-06, Page 31Helm
Welding
(1983) Ltd.
Helm Welding traces its roots back to the Helm family farm southwest of Lucknow in Ashfield Township
in the early 1960s.
In September 1967, the present site of the firm was purchased on Huron County Road 1, south of
Lucknow and by May of 1968 Art Helm Welding & Machine opened a new 40' x 80' building. The new
facility manufactured snowblowers, gravity boxes, bale stookers and wagons, as well as providing repair
and rebuild services for farm and industrial equipment.
The 1970s were extremely busy for the business. A 40' extension to the south end of the building in 1971
provided room for the production of bulk feed tanks. The company incorporated in 1974 to become Helm
Welding Ltd. A machine and auger fabrication shop was constructed in 1975 and a painting room in 1976.
Heavy winters in the late 1970s and excellent snowblower sales led to a Targe plant expansion that more
than doubled the size and manufacturing capacity of the company. The expansion required the addition of
new product lines in the slower summer months. After considering many products, it was decided to make
mixer feeders, since all the mixers being used at the time in Ontario were manufactured in the midwestern
U.S. Low beef prices and high interest rates would prove to contribute to disappointing sales of the mixer
feeders at this time. Grain buggies also came on line in 1979.
Helm Welding Ltd. became Helm Welding (1983) Ltd. Most of the products being made remained the
same with the inclusion of bale shredders and rotary mowers.
The manufacturing plant expanded again in 1986 to its present day size.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s more dairy farmers were becoming aware of the added production and
cost savings of utilizing a total mix ration. Mixer feeders and stationary mixer production increased and
the manufacture of bulk feed storage tanks was discontinued to provide more space for the mixer feeders.
The company decided to introduce a new line of Lues//Now mixer feeders using larger augers and a wider
body style, with a planetary drive system for speed reduction in place of the chain and sprocket reduction
on earlier models.
The company again went through a building phase with the completion of a 60' x 100' warehouse in 1998.
The year 1998 also saw the ownership of Helm Welding (1983) Ltd. change with the purchase of the
company shares by employees ,Jim Cranston, Kevin Clark, Jim Geddes, Jeff Gammie and Grant Helm. Art
Helm continues to be involved and is president of the company. The new team directed the introduction of
the LUC"Jr/Now single or twin screw vertical mixer feeders in 2001.
The shop that began on the family farm on the 12th concession of Ashfield has now grown to
employ about 50 people. Today, in addition to manufacturing mixers for such companies as DeLaval and
Rovibec Inc and doing custom sheet metal work, the company'sLUCY1Now brand of snowblowers, mixer
feeders and grain buggies are sold throughout North America, and exported to .Japan, Mexico. Europe and
South America.
Helm Welding - a part of The Rural Voice since 1977
'Rural Voice
THE MAGAZINE OF AGRICULTURAL LIFE
Serving the Agricultural Heartland of Ontario for 30 Fears
JUNE 2005 27