Bio: Plautz Bros., Inc., Greenwood, Wisconsin

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Plautz, Loos, Quimby

----Source: Comstock Family Collection; Greenwood Library Scrapbook Collection, originally published, Marathon County Register, Unity WI

Plautz Bros., September 1938

One day last week we had the pleasure of visiting the town of Hendren in Clark County and there miles away from any town or railroad we found a cement culvert company which was in operation and was making a mighty fine product.

The plant is owned and operated by Plautz brothers. They make every size of culvert from 12 inch to 72 inches in diameter in 4 feet or longer lengths. Now to the most of us, making a culvert out of cement would mean a mighty slow process but when made by a crew who know their job the process is quite fast. The culverts are made in steel forms, every bit of sand, gravel and cement is weighed before mixing so that the mass has a 6 to 1 ratio. To each of these forms an electric shaker is attached and as the concrete mixture is going into the forms it is vibrated so that it completely fills around the steel mesh reinforcement.

The Plautz Bros. employ 20 to 30 men during the season. The sand and gravel is now obtained at the Wisota washer on the Black River, though they have plenty of tested material upon their land and expect to build a washer next year. On their proving ground they have the latest in machinery to test the strength of product, and incidentally, this machine was made by Sherman Loos of Colby.

Mr. Steve Plautz took time off to show us around and we were well informed regarding their product. When we asked him about the market he told us that the greater part of their product was sold to the state and that rigid inspection was given by a state engineer, when a sale was made, their last being 800 feet for culverts on the relocation of highway 10. They also sell direct to townships in this part of the state. Our question to him about his sales to Clark County, he remarked that thus far they had been unable to sell any of their product to the Clark County Highway Committee, and for some reason outsiders were given the preference. “Some counties,” he said, “endeavor to protect home manufacturers, but evidently this kind of reasoning does not go over big in this county.” The present contract is with a Wausau concern, and the product has to be trucked 60 or more miles for delivery. If you are ever in that neck of the woods drop in and look this factory over. You will find it interesting.

L.L. Quimby, Editor of the Marathon County Register, Unity, Wisconsin

Plautz Bros. Inc., Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin

	The ad above appeared in the 1967 Christmas Edition of the Greenwood Gleaner, Greenwood, Wisconsin