How It All Began

June 2010

 

Thunder Creek Equipment has deep roots in production agriculture.

For decades, Loren and Jean Van Wyk provided for their growing family by farming in south central Iowa. In the mid 90’s, when faced with the decision to “get big or get out” of livestock, Loren put his farm shop to work and started LDJ Manufacturing to supplement the family’s farming income.

With God-given talent for innovation, Loren and Jean’s business quickly became known for uncompromised quality in steel fabrication. It became a full-time endeavor alongside their farming operation.

The concept of a square fuel trailer came about in 2009.

At that time, the farming operation covered thousands of acres over multiple counties. One of the constant challenges was getting fuel out to the equipment safely and then getting the equipment filled quickly.

They were using a 1,000 gallon fuel barrel mounted on running gear. It was functional, but could only be pulled at slow speeds and was dangerous. There had to be a better way.

On the manufacturing side, LDJ was an experienced trailer manufacturer and a nationally certified ASME tank manufacturer. The design team, led by Loren, began work on a new low-profile fuel trailer. The key features they were looking for were speed and safety to the field and rapid fueling so they could keep the farm machinery moving.

The distinctive “square-by-design” tank first appeared on a prototype trailer built in the spring of ’09. It was the first product from LDJ Manufacturing to bear the Thunder Creek Equipment name and it still services machinery for the farming operation today.

Today, the company has established a network of dealers throughout the United States and Canada. They work hard to deliver new, innovative solutions to keep pace with the needs of our customers in the ag industry, along with new friends in the construction, mining, oil field and other commercial markets.

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