The R. H. Sheppard Company was founded in 1937 by Mr. R. H. Sheppard when he purchased a one story factory on East Middle Street in Hanover, PA. The rights to produce the existing product lines of the Kintzing wire cloth loom, floor polisher and gas engine generator were also purchased. These products provided the basis of the manufacturing facility and a place where the diesel engines could be developed. As various uses were found for the diesel engines and business prospered, the other lines were phased out.

From that one story factory on Middle Street, the company purchased the factory on Philadelphia Street in 1940 and the foundry in 1943. These plants were expanded over the years to their present sizes. In 1981, construction began on the first bay of Plant 5, which has been expanded to include three bays, totaling 52,000 square feet. The Technical Center was completed in 1988 to provide full function testing of all of our products and to help in the solving of our customers' engineering problems. With the completion of the new foundry in 1990, our foundry capacity was doubled. The latest addition to the company has been the facility in Wytheville, VA, which covers 64,000 square feet. This facility provides support for the Hanover manufacturing facility, as well as producing the sway bar product line for Kenworth.

The first diesels were produced experimentally as early as 1933, after Mr. Sheppard graduated from Dickinson College. In all, twenty basic models of engines were developed and marketed throughout the world. These engines were used to power generator-sets, pumps, life boats, rescue craft, refrigerated railroad cars, and farm tractors. The diesel engines were the first love of Mr. Sheppard, and he searched for a long-term use for thirty years. The engines were produced from the 1930's to 1963.

In 1949, the company conceived the idea of repowering a Farmall M International farm tractor with a 3-cylinder Sheppard Diesel. Although this conversion was not a great success, it did lead to the introduction of the Sheppard farm tractor. This 3-cylinder tractor was the first diesel produced in the United States. The tractors were manufactured in 1, 2, 3 and 4 cylinders, with a range of 5 to 58 horsepower. The larger tractors featured full hydraulics, a spring balanced seat and a full line of implements. These tractors were some of the first to be fitted with a back hoe, front end loader, cultivators and planters. The patented "firsts" included a torque convertor with a 13-speed transmission and high ratio power steering. Although these tractors were the leaders in innovation in design and fuel economy, it would be many years before the diesel became the standard for farm use. These tractors were produced until 1956, when a recession coupled with floor planning by IH and Ford made the production uneconomical and they were discontinued.

The first power steering gear was applied to the SD-4 tractor in 1953, and soon would find its way to heavy duty trucks. In the years between the end of tractor production and the total commitment to power steering in 1963, the company produced one of the first ice vending machines that would store bags of ice and automatically dispense them as a soda machine does today. Although the ice machine was never a significant product for the company, it should be mentioned.

In 1963, R. H. Sheppard totally committed the company's manufacturing and engineering resources to the production of power steering. Over the years, the company has been issued more than two dozen patents on steering, from both R. H. and Peter Sheppard. This continued commitment - to produce the highest quality steering components possible - led to the introduction of the M-series family of gears in 1986. The M-series includes five basic models, with several hundred variations of those models in our system.

To support this commitment, the company has over 900 employees throughout our 585,500 square feet of foundry and manufacturing facilities. Most of our manufacturing plants, remanufacturing facility, pattern shop, and foundries are located in Hanover, PA, with the exception of our newest facility in Wytheville, VA. We take great pride in our integrated manufacturing, where we produce 95% of the steering components. Our foundries produce ductile, austempered ductile, gray and compacted graphite iron for use in our products, as well as other customers' products.

Our products are used throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as ten foreign countries around the world. Whether the product is power steering for the transportation industry, econovances for cleaner, more efficient engines, sway bars for suspensions or certified castings - our focus and our success has been to provide the highest quality products and the best service possible.