An Earth Tool Story
The story of HammerHead® Trenchless begins in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where Jon Haas had an idea to make a better earth-piercing tool. Haas consulted his high school friend and Harley-Davidson® engineer, Rob Crane, who in turn brought in his fellow engineer, Steve Wentworth and the three got to work designing what would become the HammerHead Mole® piercing tool, the namesake of what is now the industry’s most complete offering of trenchless solutions from a single source.
In 1989, HammerHead Trenchless was incorporated as Earth Tool Company. Our first company headquarters was a converted chicken coop on Jon’s property where production began with just one model: the 3” piercing tool. Earth Tool Company quickly saw commercial success with its innovative new piercing tool design and began introducing more sizes and models.
As the company grew, the design team set out to develop and improve other trenchless products such as pipe ramming tools, pipe bursting systems and purpose-built winches and rod-pulling machines. Each new design reflected the fundamental principles of HammerHead’s winning formula: a focus on quality, durability, ease-of-use, ease-of-maintenance and low cost of ownership.
In 2010, HammerHead Trenchless was acquired by Charles Machine Works, a Family of Companies focused on innovative, customer-driven solutions for the installation, maintenance and rehabilitation of underground pipe and cable. Together, the Family of Companies makes up the Underground Authority offering the most advanced equipment and solutions for underground construction and service in the world today.
HammerHead has thrived as part of the Charles Machine Works Family and in 2014, to accommodate continued growth, relocated all manufacturing and operations to our present location in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.
Today HammerHead Trenchless produces a comprehensive suite of trenchless equipment and consumables for the installation, repair and replacement of fiber, communication, water, sewer and gas underground infrastructure.