Degenhardt Equipment of Norwalk has been a family-owned business for three generations, and it continues to provide quality service and equipment to the west-central Wisconsin area.
Recently purchased by Joe and Kelly Degenhardt, the company continues to provide services based in Norwalk, with Joe, the grandson of founder Leonard Degenhardt, leading.
Almost 80 years ago, in 1947, Leonard Degenhardt purchased the International Harvester dealership in Norwalk. The time was just after World War II, and service members were returning to their rural farm life in Wisconsin. Steam trains still huffed and puffed across Wisconsin, and some farms were still using horse teams to plow their fields. The time was perfect for introducing tractors into farming. Back then, a Farmall M tractor cost about $ 1,700, quite a fortune. Today, comparable updated models sell for about $80,000.
Leonard and his wife Margaret began their business in a small building at 212 Main Street in downtown Norwalk. Along with the business operating on the first floor, the couple raised 11 children in the upstairs living area. As the children came of age, they also entered the family business.
In 1972, Joe’s father Bill and uncles Glen, Gene, and Arnie incorporated the business, building on the strong foundation that their parents had forged. That same year, they added the Bobcat line alongside the International Harvester Equipment, thus growing the business and offering more equipment options for the region. In 1987, the business had outgrown the downtown facility and moved to their present location on Highway 71 southeast of Norwalk.
By 2012, the business was sold to St. Joseph Equipment. Grandson Joe was working at the equipment supplier and continued with St. Joseph, marking the third generation to continue in the business. At the same time, his future wife Kelly joined the St. Joseph team. And in 2024, when the owners of St. Joseph decided to retire, the opportunity arose for Joe and Kelly to purchase the business. Even as the Degenhardt name went back on the building, some remnants of the St. Joseph signs can still be found.
Today, the original Degenhardt building has been torn down to make room for the Norwalk fire station. The current location on Highway 71 provides convenient access to the surrounding community and region. They now serve as a full-line Bobcat dealer, complemented by several additional equipment lines, including Kuhn and, just added, McCormick tractors.
They offer new and used equipment, along with a variety of attachments, to meet the needs of farmers, construction contractors, and homeowner do-it-yourselfers. These attachments and equipment include diamond mowers, forestry and brush mowers, three-point mowers and batwing mowers, plows, forklifts, and buckets.
For those not in the market for purchasing equipment, they offer rentals for one-time jobs. They offer a full stock of repair parts and can quickly order specialized non-stocked items. Equipment breakdowns can be picked up and brought in for repairs, or they have two on-call repairmen who can service equipment on-site.
They operate their business with a team of 10 employees, including salesmen, mechanics, and parts specialists. Joe and Kelly have continued the success of the company, built over generations of hard work, integrity, and commitment to their customers since 1947. For more information on their products and services, visit www.degenhardtequipment.com.
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