HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-11-05, Page 86228 'CHAMPION
Champions revolutionized
the world grader industry
GSS/Wednesday, Nov 6, 1986
With a single-minded purpose, the
expertise and manufacturing _
abilities of the company, along with
its research and development
divisions, concentrated solely on th,
development and improvement of
the motor grader. One of the reasons
Champions became known
worldwide was because of its
quality, both in engineering design
and construction. .
Fri --19C8. Bruce Sully took control of
the company his father had started
and two years later the name was
changed to Champion Road
Machinery Company Limited to
provide better identification between
the company and its exclusive
product, the road grader.
The company entered the 1970s
with a new president, a name
change and an eye to a prosperous
future.
In 1975, the company introduced
the 700 Series of graders. Champion
simply didn't build one model of
grader, but over 100 different
combinations, tailoring the grader to
the customers wants and needs.
Champions were tailor made
machines.
In February of that year,
Champion exhibited two new model
graders at the Construction
Equipment Exposition CONEXPO in
Chicago. The machines were widely
acclaimed by owners, dealers and
prospective customers as being the
most advanced in technology and
appearance.
The 700 Series,,the most advanced
grader of the day, went into full
production in 1976. Also in,1975,
Champion intorduced the 100 T,
eii iiy tic 'worm's iar+,est grader.
The operating weight of the machine
was listed at 202,000.1b. The 700 HP
tandem -drive unit bad a 24 ft. blade
and was most useful in surface '
mining applications.
The decade of the 1970s was one of
unprecedented growth for Champion.
With a new, widely acclaimed
product and with new international
markets opening, Champion realized
-it had to increase it's production
facilities.
The 1960s
The photos at right show the
assembly line at Champion in
1976. The company had made
several innovative changes and
was becoming a major player in
the export market.
"Friend of Youth
The Goderich and District Opti
was chartered in 1979, with 35 me
group was the beginning of t
clubs whose motto is "Frie
Community support for 0
Festival & Friends in the e
tion of necessary operating
munity. Through donations
as the Goderich Ringette A#:t�
Goderich Figure Skating Club,
Aid Society,Survival Through Frit
and the fireworks display, as well
GODERICH AND DISTRICT
OPTIMIST CLUB
a part of this community since it
'organize a local youth -oriented
'147, `ional organization of service
as the club's annual Music
beneficial. With the excep-
ub goes back into the tom-
o assist such organizations
r, Goderich Minor Hockey,
___'s Ambulance, The Children's
nadian Legion, Town of Goderich
als in need of assistance:
MAIA
Nil .. ja:R%/i:'
THE GODERICH AND DISTRICT OPTIMIST CLUB IS PROUD TO JOIN OUR COyIyIUNITY
IN !FISHING CHAMPION ROAD MACHINERY LTD. A HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY!