Today, we celebrate a momentous milestone while also saying goodbye to one of our most valued team members. It’s a bittersweet day at Scotchman Industries as we mark the retirement of Randy Martin after an incredible 42 years of service. His departure truly signals the end of an era.
Randy joined Scotchman on February 14, 1983, beginning his journey in the shop running a hand mill to produce 3” angle shear lower blades. Over the decades, he immersed himself in nearly every corner of the operation—running machines, working in quality control and final assembly, supporting the SUP saw line, and playing a vital role in our lean manufacturing efforts. In doing so, Randy became one of only 11 employees to reach the 40-year milestone with the company.
A man of quiet innovation, Randy’s creative thinking and hands-on know-how made him indispensable. One early example of his ingenuity was in the mid-1980s, when founder Art Kroetch tasked him with building Scotchman’s very first demo truck. The original version had a generator powered by the truck’s PTO—loud and clunky. After just a few trips, Randy reengineered it to use a diesel generator instead—significantly quieter and more efficient. It was the first of many smart improvements Randy would make during his career.
Randy’s knowledge of Scotchman products is unmatched. He’s been the go-to expert on our older models—especially ironworkers and cold saws from the ’90s and earlier. When a customer calls with a question about one of these legacy machines, Randy is often the one who can diagnose the issue and get things back up and running.
His contributions extend beyond the machines. Randy even reimagined how we build and ship our pallets. Through careful refinement, he designed a custom jig and process that made pallet production faster, easier, and less physically demanding than ever before. Always thinking, always improving—that’s Randy.
Brad Heltzel, our general manager, says it best: “Randy has been my go-to guy for the past 10 years. He’ll take on any job, big or small, without hesitation or complaint. He just gets it done—and that’s what I admire most about him. He’s played a role in nearly every improvement we’ve made on the factory floor. His calm demeanor makes him a great teacher, and he’s passed on so much knowledge over the years.”
Randy, too, found joy in mentoring: “The most enjoyable part of my job has been working with the younger employees,” he shared. “I grew up in a big family with lots of younger siblings. I’ve really enjoyed my time at Scotchman.” His fingerprints are on many areas of the company. From streamlining work centers for lean manufacturing, to voltage conversions and part integrations for imported SUP saws, to manning the front-end loader for snow removal—Randy’s versatility and dedication have known no bounds. In fact, he’s promised to return for a snow removal lesson if we ever need a refresher—because as he says, he’s “just a big kid who loves playing with tractors.” It’s fitting that Randy ends his journey in the final assembly department—making sure our machines are ready to go out into the world. That same attention to detail, reliability, and pride in a job well done have defined his entire career.
Randy, thank you. For your decades of commitment, for your innovations, for your mentorship, and for your quiet strength. Scotchman Industries wouldn’t be what it is today without you. It is with great pride that we give you the official Scotchman “Finally Assembled” stamp of approval.
Enjoy your well-earned retirement! You will be deeply missed.
