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Thousands of these seed cutters were sold across the United
States, Venezuela, Italy, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
According to the trade publication, The Vegetable Grower, their survey
indicated this potato seed cutter had 42% of sales in the United States alone.
In 1946 a partnership with Leon Dilts, his brother-in-law, was formed and the
company became known as Dilts-Wetzel Manufacturing Co. The company was incorporated in 1954, and
continues today. Leon Dilts passed away unexpectedly in 1954, but Mr. Wetzel chose
to continue the business in partnership with his sister.
The inventive mind and creativity of Clifford Wetzel has
become well known and many have sought his counsel on anything mechanical.
He invented and designed machinery for his own use at his
farm, known as Newark Gardens, in Ithaca, Michigan. In addition to the Dilts-Wetzel Potato Seed Cutter, he manufactured for
sale the following farm equipment:
Ø A
self-propelled vegetable harvester for potatoes, carrots, onions, red beets,
parsnips, and radishes;
Ø A
sod cutter;
Ø A
weed-killing lawn roller;
Ø A
semi-trailer dumper for unloading bulk vegetables;
Ø A
potato digger;
Ø A
saw dust burner for home heating; and
Ø Assisted
in the design of commercial microwave equipment for an Ohio company.
Mr. Wetzel holds several U.S., Canadian, Japanese and Australian
patents of machinery he's designed and built for himself, as well as selling to
others globally through his businesses.
His newest patent, obtained two years ago, is currently in
use for the dairy industry. This is the Dilts-Wetzel Soybean Roaster that is
featured on this Web site.
Dilts-Wetzel Manufacturing Co.
2501 W. Washington Rd.
Ithaca, MI 48847
Phone: 989-763-0880 E-Mail: sales@diltswetzel.com
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