WorldWide Drilling Resource

Quality, Innovation, and Selection Come Together Adapted from Information from Merrill Manufacturing After leaving a company which would not consider quality improvements, innovator Noel Merrill Anderson started from scratch in his one-car garage at his home in Clive, Iowa. In 1949, he founded Merrill Manufacturing Company, and his first product was the Any Flow ® yard hydrant, which is still one of the highest quality yard hydrants available today. In 1957, Merrill relocated to a facility in Storm Lake, Iowa. Noel continued his inventions, designing and engineering pitless units which were introduced in 1959. The units were created to be used with submersible pumps to eliminate the need for a pump house or well pit. The manufacturing plant expanded again, and he invented the tank float, which was the front- runner of the contained air tanks widely used today. Noel’s son Stephen went to work in the family business in 1976, after gaining an engineering degree plus experience with an engineering firm. He became company president in 1981. To better serve customers and grow into a one-source supplier, Merrill added several hundred water well accessories to complement their manufactured items. Under Stephen’s leader- ship, the company moved forward at a rapid pace. Like his father, Stephen designed and engineered many company products. The company currently holds 24 patents, with others pending. The next enlargement came in 1997, with an additional 36,000-square-foot facility com- ing online. The office also expanded in 2012. Customer service is of the utmost priority to the company. Each team member is well-trained, efficient, and dedicated to clients whether it’s in-house sales, assisting distributors, or showcasing Merrill products at over 100 events each year in the U.S. and Canada. Merrill Manufacturing has always been a developer of improved or unique products to provide water well and other drilling industries better options which are more reliable and easier to install. Merrill is well-known for their tank tees, splice kits, and insert fittings for poly pipe. They believe several options are necessary for the changing needs and different areas around the country, and around the world. Products are marketed across North America and most of the European countries, including Russia and parts of what was once the Soviet Bloc. The company maintains membership in the Water Systems Council, National Ground Water Association, Water Well Trust, and numerous state water well asso- ciations. Stephen also serves on various advisory boards and committees. To assist customers with the Federal Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act compliance, Merrill added over 3000 no-lead products to their offering. This ensured many op- tions were available for potable water applications. Innovating yet again, Merrill recently introduced the Multi-Size Wire Connector along with another new improvement for the industry, the Control Switch, which combines a control box and pressure switch. The product line is in process to be expanded for additional applications. Merrill Manufacturing Company strives to be the best supplier in the water well industry by offering a wide variety of products, and anticipating demand by creating innovative solutions. 34 SEPTEMBER 2016 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®