Parker Industries

Parker Industries (then Parker Feeders) traces its roots back to late 1960 and was founded by S.L. `Hank` Parker in Silver Lake, Indiana. He sold his first 130 bushel gravity bed on October 3rd, 1960. The price was $140. The customer was Kenneth Coble of South Whitley, Indiana. The bed itself was built in 1961 by a team of four workmen and led by one foreman. In Parker Feeders first year in the gravity bed business, these men constructed and sold fifty gravity beds. The useable factory area for the manufacture of these feeders and beds was 12,000 square feet. Their equipment consisted of one 10` brake press, one 10` shear, 1 small manually operated drill press, one band saw, and a one-phase 3 power grinder and a welder. The painting was all done by hand.