Hypertherm Inc., Hanover, N.H., a manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, is celebrating its 50th year of industrial cutting innovation by introducing programs designed to deliver greater value to longtime customers. In addition, the company’s anniversary year events will include the unearthing of a long-buried time capsule, and celebrations at all its global locations with Founder Dick Couch.
From its founding in 1968, Hypertherm has worked to meet customer needs, through continuous innovation designed to improve productivity and profitability. At the same time, the 100 percent associate-owned company follows a triple bottom line management approach in working to enrich the community and environment while growing its business.
“Hypertherm’s focus has always been on helping our customers reduce their operating cost and improve cutting performance so they can enhance their profitability. That’s what we continue to do today. In partnering with our customers, we are helping them identify the right solution to meet their business goals,” said Hypertherm President & CEO Evan Smith. “When we say we’re ‘Shaping Possibility’, we are supporting our customers as they bring their visions to life. At this milestone moment, we’re inspired to extend and expand that promise into the next half century.”
“I’m so proud of all that we’ve accomplished over the last five decades. We’ve grown from a manufacturer of plasma systems to a global provider of cutting solutions,” said Mr. Couch. “More importantly though, we did this as an independent company following our core values while pursuing the long-term interests of our customers and communities. It is gratifying to know that we did this while achieving our goal of becoming a company completely owned by associates who remain committed to providing the world’s leading industrial cutting solutions and to building long-term customer relationships founded on technology and service leadership.”
Working out of a small two car garage, Mr. Couch and Professor Bob Dean discovered that radially injecting water into a plasma cutting nozzle would form a narrower arc, making it possible to cut metal more accurately and quickly while virtually eliminating heavy dross and double-arcing. Today, Hypertherm products are found the world over, its cutting systems used in the construction of ships, trains, earth-moving equipment, large buildings, stadiums, bridges, and so much more.
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