Eighty-seven years ago, Twin Disc originated a power transmission technology that
changed the way the world works.
For over eight decades, Twin Disc has designed, built and distributed products that
influence the development and prosperity of the world. They are installed in the
drivelines and power trains of marine and off-highway equipment. They manage and
control the horsepower generated by internal combustion engines and electric motors.
These products seldom are seen. But they go in machines that contribute to the very
standard of our lives.
They’re found in fishing boats, work boats and pleasure craft, farm tractors, irrigation
pumps, Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting vehicles, mining equipment, oil field, construction,
logging and railway equipment, to name a few. They help feed us, build roads, cities
and homes, provide natural resources, transport us, defend us, and influence our
lives in many other unnoticed but critical ways.
For this company to have grown in both product offerings and worldwide manufacturing
and distribution capabilities, it had to have strong prime movers. And for a company
with such unique products to have succeeded for nearly a century, its leaders must
have learned to seize its moments as well as anticipate the future.
The Battens, P.H., John, and Michael, have provided three generations of vision
and dedication to the development of Twin Disc products and markets. Each has brought
his own management style, business culture and individual accomplishments to Twin
Disc’s rich history.
P.H. Batten, one of the founders, started the company with the first "twin disc"
clutch for farm tractors and construction equipment. Under his direction the company
went on to develop a variety of power transmission products, including marine transmissions
and industrial torque converters.
Under John Batten's leadership the company continued its product development with
drivelines and power-shift transmissions. During his tenure the company experienced
significant growth during the construction boom of the 1960s and 1970s. He was the
architect of international expansion in both manufacturing and distribution that
made Twin Disc a major player in the global marketplace.
Michael Batten took over during the bottom of the recession in the early 1980s and
has refocused Twin Disc's product and market strategies and restructured the company’s
manufacturing operations to succeed in the more competitive global economy. During
his tenure, the company has become a major player - if not the market leader - in
each of its market segments and has added new technologies such as electronic controls
and propulsion products to the product mix.
Yet the story and success of Twin Disc goes beyond its leadership. Countless employees
have provided creativity and ingenuity in the design, manufacture and application
of its products to a wide variety of machines and equipment in the off-highway markets.
Their dedication and loyalty to the company and its mission has been a powerful
engine for success over the years.
From a farm tractor near Racine eighty-seven years ago to a contemporary Aircraft
Rescue Fire Fighting vehicle at an airbase in Belgium, Twin Disc has put horsepower
to work for nearly a century. It has contributed to vital markets and critical industries.
That is its past. That is its future.
