THE HANCOCK CONCRETE LEGACY

The story of Hancock Concrete Products, Inc. is rich in history and success. In 1915, Henry Schmidgall moved to Hancock, Minnesota, from Iowa, and in 1917 he purchased a concrete drain tile factory in Hancock. This was the beginning of Hancock Concrete as it is known today.

Reinforced concrete round pipe production began in the late 1920's. Hancock Concrete introduced a semi-dry concrete mix which allowed the forms to be removed before the pipe was fully cured. This increased efficiency and production substantially. In the 1930's, a new pipe machine was purchased which produced round pipe from 12" to 60" in diameter. During this time, Hancock developed a reputation for exceptional quality and reliability. Today the company produces round pipe as large as 120” in diameter.

During World War II in 1942, because it had one of the most modern operations in the United States, Hancock Concrete was moved to Lincoln, Kansas. Construction of the Smoky Hill Air Force Base at Salina, Kansas, was underway and miles of pipe were needed for drainage. After the plant was moved back to Hancock, production boomed during the post-war years. Cities such as the Twin Cities, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Riverdale were expanding, and miles of pipe were needed for the infrastructure. Having outgrown its original location in downtown Hancock, the plant relocated to the southeast edge of Hancock in 1956.

During the 1960's, Hancock Concrete developed arch pipe as large as 169” span, which were used to replace traditional bridge structures. Box culverts and cattle pass were added to the product line in the 1970’s. The box culvert has become another prevalent bridge replacement option with structures as large as 14’ x 16’.

Hancock Concrete’s innovation of the 1980’s was a large concrete arch structure known as the BEBO system. The company engineers went to Germany and Switzerland to analyze this new bridge concept that was being developed. These large structures are used for stream crossings, underpasses for vehicles and trains, and pedestrian walkways. Hancock constructed the first BEBO bridge structure in the United States for the city of Edina, Minnesota, in 1981.

Another innovation in the 1980’s was skewed ends for box culverts. When the box culvert goes under the road at an angle rather than perpendicular, the skewed ends line up with the roadway.

Also during this period, additional production facilities were added in Cannon Falls and New Ulm, MN. The New Ulm facility has since been relocated to Courtland, MN. There is also a sales office in Minneapolis, MN and a storage yard located east of Moorhead, MN.

The operation of Hancock Concrete has been passed through the second generation of Henry’s sons, Richard & Gene Schmidgall, and is now under the leadership of Henry’s grandsons. Rob is President, Gary is Vice President, Bruce is Inventory & Production Coordinator, and Dave is Director of Maintenance and Service. Hancock Concrete has been a mainstay of the concrete pipe industry and is proud to draw on the abilities of its 194 employees to continue to design, manufacture, and deliver the best concrete products in the industry. They look forward to a challenging and successful future.