OUR PEOPLE
OUR STORY
1938 and on to the Future
Jim Ellis started Ellis Equipment Co as an Allis-Chalmers dealership in 1938. Sometimes he took in draft horses on trade for a new tractor. Jim left the tractor business to become a wholesale equipment distributor in Utah and Idaho for Gehl and allied lines. He towed the first hammermills out to dealers behind the family car. Jim's wife Lucy kept the books, starting in their home office and moving into a new brick office next to the original parts shed. Parts supply was always important. Jim brought his son and son-in-law Dean Ellis and Ernie Siler in to help with company growth. Gehl later asked Ellis Equipment to expand into Washington, Oregon and California.
Extra-curricular fun. A national dairy queen, a championship softball team and the women helping behind the scenes.
Old & new. Ellis Equipment has always offered service support to its dealers. Jim's son and grandsons, Clair, Rod and Bob Ellis, expanded the product lines and the sales area. With the city growing, in 2018, Ellis Equipment moved 3 miles out to a beautiful 22,000 sq foot building on 2.5 acres with sales, service, parts and warehouse all under one roof.