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Stuart Tank Sales celebrates historic Golden Anniversary

Oct. 1, 2008
In The year that Arnold Palmer won his first Masters golf tournament, the New York Yankees defeated Milwaukee in the World Series, and NASA was formed,

In The year that Arnold Palmer won his first Masters golf tournament, the New York Yankees defeated Milwaukee in the World Series, and NASA was formed, Marvin Gramley was making his own history by establishing Stuart Tank Sales Corporation, a tank trailer sales and service center in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

The year was 1958. That means that this year the company is celebrating its Golden Anniversary for being in business 50 years. The tank trailer sales, custom fabrication, parts, and service business has grown from its initial location in Elkhorn to an additional location in Markham, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Along the way the Elkhorn location has experienced considerable expansion.

Three years after the company was founded, the Elkhorn site was constructed with three bays and a small office area located in the corner. Business expanded rapidly. By 1965 Marvin “Budd” Humphrey joined the company as a sales representative, selling mostly farm pick-up tanks and sanitary milk transports.

With continued growth, the facility underwent expansion in 1975 when three more bays were added and additional office space was constructed.

In 1975, Mike O'Donell joined Stuart Tank as a sales representative selling farm pick-up tanks and sanitary transports, along with the addition of petroleum, chemical, and pneumatic trailers.

As the company continued to grow, the sales, service, and parts sectors were expanded in the late 1970s. By 1981, another three bays were added and a steam bay made available.

Growth and expansion continued through the 1980s and 1990s with added product and additional employees. The parts department was expanded into a 10,000- square-foot addition along with an additional bay for blower and pump mounting, repair, and rebuilding.

In 2000, the Markham facility was opened for parts and service for the metropolitan area. Continuing to add products and services, Stuart Tank has added Trail King dump trailers and accessories to its inventory and parts catalog.

The company provides both new and used tank trailer sales, representing Heil Trailer International, Walker Stainless Equipment Co LLC, Stainless Tank and Equipment Co LLC, and Amthor International. The repair facility holds an ASME R-Stamp and provides code barrel reconstruction; hydrotest, thickness, leakage, visual internal and external testing; and is an authorized vapor test station for Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana.