Ritchie Industries, Inc.

In 1929, Ritchie incorporated and initially operated from an old machine shed in Marshalltown, with some manufacturing done in a 24′ x 48′ shed in Conrad until 1943. That year, blacksmith C.D. Wilson purchased Ritchie, moved it to Conrad, and ran it from a small blacksmith shop. Shortly after, Ritchie introduced automatic electric heat to their watering equipment, solidifying their industry leadership.

After his father's death in 1979, C.D. Wilson Jr. took over the business, expanding its market and product technology. The company grew from producing six models to over 40, becoming the largest manufacturer and distributor of the most comprehensive line of animal and livestock watering equipment in North America.

Today, 100 years since our founding, we offer a complete line of animal watering products globally, boasting an unmatched reputation for quality and integrity. We even receive orders from farmers still using original Ritchie fountains purchased 30, 40, or even 50 years ago.

Since 2004, we've been fully employee-owned and have operated from the same Main Street location since 1943. We build our automatic waterers from the ground up, ensuring quality from design to prototype to final product.