Ditch Witch is a major manufacturer of directional drills, trenchers, vibratory plows, vacuum excavators, and mini skid steers, with a specialization in underground utility construction equipment. In this Shop Talk Blog post, you'll learn some interesting facts from Ditch Witch history, like how it started out in a blacksmith/machine shop, helped to birth the telecommunications industry, and received quite a few awards.
Ditch Witch Roots
Ditch Witch is a brand name belonging to Charles Machine Works, whose long history can be traced back to the Malzahn Blacksmith Shop in the early 1900s located in Perry, Oklahoma. It wasn’t until the late 1940s that Ed Malzahn saw a need for equipment to aid with the installation of residential utilities and began to shift the company's priorities. He recognized the benefits of a more automated approach to the digging of trenches for things like electric lines, sewer lines, water lines, and gas lines.
Ditch Witch Power (DWP) Trencher
Ed took his father’s small machine shop (known by that time as Charlie's Machine Shop but later as Charles Machine Works) and turned it into a worldwide leader in utility construction equipment through the invention of their first mechanical trenching machine: the Ditch Witch Power (DWP) which came out in 1949. It was designed primarily for digging the trenches needed to connect a house's plumbing system to the main at the street. A landscape contractor from Long Island, New York named Alex Baker purchased the first one and immediately put it to use in digging trenches for sprinkler systems. The DWP turned out to be incredibly successful.
From that point on, the company became known for its ditch digging equipment. To date, they have sold over half the trenching machines used around the world. This innovative, game-changing trencher was the brainchild of Charles Machine Works founder and mechanical engineer Ed Malzahn.
Telecommunications
With their need for new cables and the trenches that these cables would be placed in, there is not doubt that the telecommunications market was benefitted greatly through the development of Malzahn's trenching machines. Before trenching machines, trenches would be dug by hand with a pick, shovel, and wheelbarrow. The growth of telecommunications led to a prosperous time for Ditch Witch as well, since their equipment was in demand more than ever before. More recently, Ditch Witch has been partnering with telecom companies like Ericsson and Gardner Telecommunications to find even better solutions to their trenching and drilling needs.
Awards and Honors
Fortune magazine has named the Ditch Witch compact trencher one of the best American-made products in the world. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) named the DWP one of the landmarks of engineering history. The very first DWP (the one purchased by Baker), later traded in for a newer model, has been restored and is now on display at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Malzahn has also been inducted into the Oklahoma Inventors Hall of Fame. Ditch Witch was showcased recently in the 2017 Made in America showcase in Washington, DC.
Conclusion
Ditch Witch has continued to improve the technology needed to efficiently install underground utilities. The company's mini skid steers are especially popular in a variety of industries. It is used for landscaping, irrigation, and similar projects. When shopping around for heavy equipment, don't ignore this innovative, versatile, Made-In-America brand!
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