Our History
The incredible background story for our company begins over 50 years ago with the current owner’s grandfather, Wayne Niewold, near the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Wayne is the original inventor of Power Planter augers, but long before Power Planter came about, he started a successful and growing business called Hydra Fold Auger. Hydra Fold manufactures and sells large, specialized augers for farmers to move corn, soybeans, wheat, and fertilizer around their fields faster and more efficiently.
This story is a story of firsts.
When Hydra Fold was in its heyday, another rural Illinois local knew about these augers, and he also happened to be friends with a groundskeeper at the University of Illinois. The groundskeeper was looking for an easier way to plant trees, shrubs and flowers around campus. He also wanted to complete other landscaping tasks around the grounds faster and more efficiently.
The All American Auger Company
Power Planter® is a third generation family-owned auger manufacturer that started three decades ago in rural Illinois and is still located there today. The centennial farm where our company began making augers is a sixth generation family run farm.
We have evolved over the past 20 years from the invention and patent of our original Power Planter auger to offer a variety of different sizes, models, and even auger accessories today. Above all, we are a family business, and we strive every day to adhere to the same level of craftsmanship and work ethic the company was first founded on more than 20 years ago.
Our Core Principles
Though the years have passed, the core principles Power Planter was founded on remain strong. We are committed to putting our customers’ needs first – every single time. We will always work hard to create high quality augers for our customers today, tomorrow, and for many years to come.
Our augers
- Are 100% made in the USA
- Feature high quality, durable craftsmanship
- Come with 1-on-1 customer service assistance and more
Our Company Today
Our founder Wayne invented the first garden-friendly earth auger more than 20 years ago. Today, we manufacture and sell more than ten different sizes and models.
Power Planter is now operated by the original owner’s grandson, Greg Niewold. Greg took over in 2013 and has spurred significant company growth while expanding the reach of Power Planter to serve customers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, select countries in Europe, and more.