Thurman Scale, a specialist in scales for ultra-heavy capacity off-road vehicles, is celebrating 100 successful years of product and industry innovation. On top of highlighting last century’s achievements, Thurman proudly continues to drive innovation in the off-road vehicle and weighing industries. The company held its centennial event to mark the milestone achievement in Longboat Key, FL, last month.
From a machining company founded in 1918 in Columbus, OH, Thurman grew quickly by taking advantage of easy access to major transportation routes, such as the Ohio and Erie Canals and nearby highways. Thurman was purchased in 1940 by engineer and entrepreneur Millard M. Cummins, who expanded the business to include scale production. Thurman added a batching scale in 1946, followed by the first Thurman motor vehicle scale in 1948. These rugged, high-quality scale designs proved a perfect fit for the weighing needs of the interstate highway building program of the 1960s, and the coal industry “boom years” from the early 1970s into the 1980s.
By 1960, Thurman had diversified to produce portable, above ground, and pit-type motor truck scales, axle load scales, beam and dial scales, and scales specifically designed for hoppers and tanks, livestock, warehousing, and forklifts.
For decades, Thurman produced scale products from its manufacturing facility in Columbus, continuously improving its standard scale offerings and its custom designed off-road vehicle scales. In 1995, the Cummins family sold Thurman Scale to the Nordens of Kansas City, MO, owners of Fairbanks Scales.
Under the ownership of Bill Norden, and the management of long time Thurman salesman Neil Copley, Thurman headquarters remained in Columbus. Since then, Thurman Scale has continued its dedication to producing quality weighing equipment, recently updating its rail scale line and launching such new user-friendly instruments as the TS3200 Series and TS600 Series.
“The entire team is thrilled by the success the Thurman Scale brand has achieved,” says Rick Norden, owner of Fairbank Scales.
