Holland

The Holland Hitch Company, as we know it, was started in 1910 in Corsica, South Dakota under the name of "Safety Release Clevis Company".

Gerrit Den Besten, Albert Hulsebos, and Henry Ketel devised a new hitch connecting a horse to a plow. Their new hitch design incorporated a pressure release system so that if the plow hit a rock, tree stump, or other solid object, the hitch would release the plow, saving both the plow from damage and horse from injury. This original hitch was designed in the back of Albert Hulsebos player piano and Victrola store in Corsica, South Dakota.

In September of 1920, the "Safety Release Clevis Company" moved to Holland, Michigan to be closer to the automotive industry. In April of 1921, the company changed it's name to the "Holland Hitch Company".

During the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s the company continued to grow and expand, and the product line was beginning to change to products associated with the heavy truck industry, such as Fifth Wheels, Landing Gear, Pintle Hooks, and an assortment of associated products.

Throughout the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's, Holland Hitch gradually began to open sales / distribution offices in Europe and Asia. As these markets became larger, some of these offices were converted into manufacturing operations.

In the 1990’s Holland Hitch expanded it’s product offerings by purchasing The Binkley Company of Warrenton, Missouri, a major manufacturer of landing gear products for trailers, with two plants in Missouri and one in Arkansas. In addition to landing gear, Binkley produced tandem sliders for trailers, and steel racking systems.  Holland Hitch became known as The Holland Group as they purchased Neway Anchorlok International of Muskegon, Michigan, a major manufacturer of air suspensions for truck, trailer, and motor homes.

As the new millennium began, The Holland Group continued to be a recognized leader in coupling, lift and suspension systems for trucks, tractors and trailers.

SAF

In a small village blacksmith shop in 1881, in Keilberg, Germany at the foot of the Spessart hills of Bavaria, Paul Zill was working out how a vital job could be carried out better, easier, and faster: The “Zill two-way plow” solved this problem perfectly – and marked the start of a path to success which has been widened and expanded over generations.

That German blacksmith shop became a small family operation, and soon the first steel axles for agricultural vehicles were produced.  A factory arose and the industrial production of axles for heavy-duty vehicles started up.  There were peaks and valleys, successes and setbacks – but always a personal touch and clear objective: “When looking for solutions, we’ll go our own way – and find other, better answers.”   This axle factory became Saure Axle Fabrication (SAF), now one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of integrated axle, brake, and suspension systems.

In Keilberg, benchmarks continue to be set to this day: SAF suspension systems for trailers continue to provide perfect function, industry leading safety, and outstanding economy.

SAF-HOLLAND

Today, we are a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of quality-engineered components, systems, and services to the transportation industry.  SAF-HOLLAND specializes in coupling, lifting axle, braking, and suspension systems for trucks, busses, tractors, and trailers.  These products include axles and braking systems, fifth wheels, landing gear, air and mechanical suspensions, kingpins, pintle hooks, drawbars, couplers, lift gates, and roll formed components.  SAF-HOLLAND products are sold and serviced under the SAF and Holland brand names from over 4,600 distributor and OEM locations around the world.