HR0043 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0043 LRB098 07097 MST 37158 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1946, Keith, Mervel, and Leonard Wood chose the City of Oregon, Illinois, along the banks of the Rock River to build their new venture, Wood Brothers Manufacturing Co.; and

WHEREAS, The brothers' produced the first successful tractor-mounted rotary cutter and developed several innovations, such as the patented single v-belt drive system, single attachment pin blade system, and various designs that led to today's standard three-point hitch for agricultural tractors; and

WHEREAS, The innovations of Wood Brothers Manufacturing Co., now Woods Equipment Company, and its drive for new product development established Woods as a pioneer in the creation of the agricultural equipment "short line" industry - which today includes hundreds of attachment manufacturers; and

WHEREAS, In the late 1950s, 2 Woods engineers began sketching concepts for a flexible wing cutter with an innovative drive system and decks hinged in 3 pieces to better conform to the rolling terrain; with the introduction of the Batwing rotary cutter in the autumn of 1963, the Batwing took flight and has significantly affected the overall growth of the flex-wing mower product category; and

WHEREAS, Hours of testing in extreme conditions, the rugged sub-structure and the industry leading welding and paint standards has assured the success and quality of the Batwing; and

WHEREAS, Batwing rotary cutters are prevalent on farms, roadsides, campuses, estates, and homes throughout the United States and exported to countries around the world; and

WHEREAS, Woods Equipment Company and the city of Oregon are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Batwing throughout 2013; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Woods Equipment Company on the 50th anniversary of the Batwing; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Woods Equipment Company as a symbol of our respect and esteem.