The story
1965: Jon Kinzenbaw, company founder, opens a small welding and repair shop, Kinze Welding, in Ladora, Iowa.
1967: Four-wheel auger unloading wagons are built that enable large loads of grain to be moved in difficult field conditions.
1968: Jon re-powers John Deere 5020s and builds custom 3-wheel flotation fertilizer applicators.
1969: First mass-produced product is the anhydrous ammonia applicator – one of the first to use rolling coulters.
1971: Builds the first two-wheeled, 400-bushel grain cart equipped with large-diameter augers for fast unloading, and high-flotation tires for mobility in soft conditions. Invents and patents the adjustable-width plow; licensed it to DMI of Goodfield, Illinois to build and market.
1974: Builds a 600+ horsepower tractor, Big Blue, a 12-bottom adjustable-width plow, and reveals at the 1974 farm progress show.
1975: Develops and introduces a 24-row rear-folding planter that enabled easy field-to-field transport of large-width planters.
1976: Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. moves to Williamsburg, Iowa, building a new manufacturing facility along Interstate 80.
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1978: Introduces planters with split rows to enable planting narrow rows.
1980: Kinze-built row units unveiled at National Farm Machinery Show.
1981: Introduction of smaller double-framed planters that enabled easier spacing of row units.
1983: Push row units were introduced that allowed split row units to be staggered for improved trash flow.
1985: Developed and introduced raise and pivot fold planters for narrow and fast transport.
1988: Grain carts are equipped with SOF-TRAKS for improved flotation in soft conditions. Kinze Power Products, Inc. was formed to repower John Deere FWD tractors.
1990: Invents and patents the brush meter for precise singulation and planting of soybeans. 40-Series grain carts introduced.
1991: Grain carts equipped with conveyor unloading belts are launched for handling seed crops.
1992: Kinze expands its product offering with the introduction of conservation cultivators.
1994: Front fold 2700 planter debuts. Allowed easy spacing of row units along the length of the bar.
1995: Kinze introduces 12- and 16-row stack folding mounted planters that keep row units upright.
1999: The 3000-series planter models and Evolution Series row units are launched.
2000: To ensure quality is maintained, Kinze begins manufacturing its own hydraulic cylinders.
2001: First planter bulk fill system debuts. 1050 Harvest Commander Grain Cart is introduced.
2003: The iconic rotating planter yard art display is unveiled on Kinze's front yard.
2004: The introduction of the giant 36-row, 30" row spaced planter enabled farmers to plant up to 1000 acres a day.
2005: Kinze enters the vacuum meter market with the debut of the EdgeVac vacuum meter.
2007: Kinze collaborates with Ag Leader and introduces the Kinze Vision Planter Control System.
2008: New air-seed delivery bulk fill system is launched, equipped with a hydraulic weight transfer system to transfer weight from the center to the outside of the planter.
2011: Stylized corner dual-auger grain carts are introduced as models 900, 1100, 1300, and 1500.
2011: Developed and patented successfully operating autonomous planter and grain cart concepts.
2013: The world's first electric drive planter, the front fold model 4900, is introduced by Kinze. Also released are the 4000-Series row unit and True Rate meter.
2014: Kinze pioneers multi-hybrid planting with the debut of the 4900 Multi-Hybrid planter.
2015: The 851 and 1051 single auger grain carts join Kinze's family of corner dual auger grain carts.
2018: Kinze begins manufacturing and marketing Mach Till high-speed disks – ranging in size from 20 to 41 feet.
2019: The Blue Vantage planter display and Blue Drive electric is introduced.
2021: Kinze introduced the True Speed high speed meter that enables farmers to plant at speeds from 3 to 12 mph.
From Wikipedia’s article on Kinze Manufacturing, Inc., shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4