Art Moore, founder of Snorkel Lifts, and brothers Ray and Koop Ferwerda, inventors of the Gradall excavator, are now in the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame recognizes “the pioneers whose inventions, ideas, leadership and courage have contributed to the industry and our community’s quality of life,” says AEM. “Both Moore and the Ferwerda brothers used hydraulic telescopic designs and unique innovate ways to solve problems critical to our industry.”
All three men shepherded products that are still evolving today.
Art Moore, Snorkel Lifts
Art Moore grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri, just north of Kansas City, where he became childhood friends with future business partner Ray Pitman.
Pitman and Moore started Pitman Manufacturing in 1949, focusing on hydraulic lift trucks. In 1958, the Chicago Fire Department modified a Pitman truck with a fire hose, and Moore saw the benefit of the idea. He broke off to focus on lifted fire equipment, starting Snorkel Fire Equipment in 1959. Snorkel’s products became so popular that the name “snorkel” is now a generic name for telescopic firefighting equipment.
In 1977, Moore took the extruded aluminum boom on the Snorkel Telesquirt and applied them to a construction access lift, developing the first TB42 lift. The aluminum design offered a less-costly alternative to steel access models.
