DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
John G. Dramm was a florist and inventor who used his skills to come up with solutions to solve problems for fellow growers. The first Waterbreaker 400 was a way to break up high-velocity spray into a gentle shower that was easier on plants when hand watering. That spirit of innovation and solution-oriented invention has been one of DRAMM’s hallmark traits throughout its history.
DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
DRAMM is constantly looking for ways to improve its products and be more efficient, which is what keeps it innovative. For example, the company used to have a crane to transfer aluminum pieces from trucks to its warehouse. Then it discovered that buying the aluminum pre-cut was more efficient for handling, so it switched the process.
DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
The Fertilizer Injector Cart, one of DRAMM’s recent innovations, is a fertilizer stock cart and tank that provides full aeration and agitation to keep chemicals in solution. The system maintains saturation levels of dissolved oxygen and can help keep nematodes viable during application.
DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
Recognizing that water is a finite resource, DRAMM formed the DRAMMwater division to focus on holistic water management using Ozone. While many disinfectants contain toxic chemicals, Ozone breaks down to oxygen, which is a necessary element for healthy plant growth. The high concentrations of dissolved oxygen that result from ozonation help maintain healthy root systems that are clean and pathogen free.
DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
While going through a lean-process evaluation several years ago, DRAMM hired a full-time automation specialist who looked at where the bottlenecks occurred in the production process, and designed and built machines to make the processes more efficient. For example, one of the earliest machines placed washers in the Waterbreakers, eliminating a repetitive, time-consuming task previously done by hand.
DRAMM: 75 Years of Innovation
DRAMM performs a number of quality tests regularly when designing and producing its products, to ensure that the engineering is sound and that high-quality components will withstand the rigors of commercial use. Machines carry out these repetitive tasks, testing to see if products will hold up to issues such as wands being dragged across concrete or dropped on cement floors and valves’ ability to hold water.
DRAMM Corporation in Manitowoc, WI, celebrated a landmark anniversary in 2016. John G. Dramm’s simple invention, a watering nozzle with 400 holes that turned high-volume spray into soft-flow spray, sparked a 75-year journey of innovation that has culminated in a multi-million dollar global operation entering its third generation of family leadership.
The company, started in 1941, has moved from a basement operation to a 55,000-square-foot facility employing more than 50 people. It has four divisions: Retail, Fertilizer, Commercial, and DRAMMwater. The Waterbreaker remains as its mainstay product, along with a variety of sprayers, foggers, environmental controllers, and horticultural equipment.
Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower.
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