04/23/2026
Holstein Manufacturing celebrates 50 years
By: Dan Mundt
The Holstein Advance
Holstein Manufacturing’s 50-year anniversary is this month.
The company was incorporated on April 1, 1976.
Darrin and Lisa Schmidt are fifty/fifty partners in ownership of the company, which is today called Holstein Fabrication.
Darrin said the idea for the company began with a community event that took place two years before the company was incorporated.
“They were having a fun day hog roast to save the Turner Hall in Holstein next to the library. It was a big, tremendous, dance hall building,” he said. “Back then, nobody had any money, and we (the United States) had just gone off the gold standard and things were worthless. So they had a hog roast trying to fundraise for the building.”
The community effort failed and Turner Hall was demolished in early 1975.
Because the hog roaster used for the fundraiser hadn’t worked very well, Darrin’s dad, Bruce Schmidt, along with LaDon Wiese and Verne Stocking, decided to design and build one of their own at Vern’s Machine Shop in Holstein.
A story in the March 18, 1976, Holstein Advance, announced the formation of the company.
“Bruce Schmidt, LaDon Wiese and Verne Stocking have started Holstein Manufacturing, Inc., a new business for Holstein. They are manufacturing a ‘MAXI-BARBEQUE.’ This is a complete mobile unit that will go anywhere that your car or truck will go. The weight of the unit is 900 lbs. and is 6 ft. long. This Barbeque will cook a whole pig, or any combination of meats. It uses charcoal for heat. The unit pictured is for use by large companies for large dinners. The group is planning on producing a smaller one for home use. The men started the company to promote Pork,” the newspaper stated.
Caption: Darrin and Lisa Schmidt were given the Ida County Cattlemen’s Association 2026 Beef Promotion Award. The metal award was cut by their company, Holstein Fabrication. File photo by Dan Mundt
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https://holsteinadvance.com/
