Between 1940 and 1960, Schramm, Inc. experienced significant growth as a result of World War II and evolving market demands following the war. During the Second World War, Schramm received military contracts to manufacture compressors, generators, and welders for all service branches, leading to a dramatic increase in production. The company hired Katherine Facciolli, its first woman for shop work and expanded its workforce, including up to 70 women, to meet the urgent wartime orders. During the war the company surpassed all previous production levels. 
Photograph: 'Air for Defense,' advertising brochure for Schramm products, c.1943. See below for more photos.
In 1941, the company purchased Chestnut Knoll, a property adjacent to their headquarters in West Chester, a site that would become key for future expansion. They opened the company’s first research lab at the new site and later expanded the research lab after the war. In 1943, they converted the mansion on the site to an employee restaurant. And, new manufacturing facilities were built on the site as they renovated and expanded existing ones.
After the war, Schramm continued to grow, opening new facilities and expanding their product offerings. In 1946, they built a large warehouse and closed their temporary war production facilities in West Chester, Downingtown, and Wayne, Pennsylvania. Schramm celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1950 with an open house and opened branch offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Schramm survived and grew before WWII by specializing in air compressors. After WWII the company faced stiff competition from Ingersoll Rand, Worthington, Chicago Pneumatic, Joy and others. As competitors adopted less expensive designs for their portable compressor products, Schramm sought niches in the market with specialized products and uses, like the Model 60 crawler air compressor, the Pneumatractor and then the Rotadrill.
In the early 1950s, Schramm enhanced the capabilities of the Pneumatractor, turning it into a versatile machine that could do more than ever before. They expanded it into a full product line, adding front-end loaders, backhoes, and other attachments that made it useful for both construction and drilling. These adaptable machines quickly became popular with small contractors, utility companies, and local governments looking for reliable, multi-purpose equipment.
At the same time, the oil and gas industry was beginning to use compressed air to bring drill cuttings to the surface. Seeing an opportunity, Schramm created a petroleum division and developed special air compressors to support this growing demand. When the oil and gas market cooled, Schramm didn’t let their work go to waste—these high-pressure air compressor designs later became the foundation for their Rotadrill products.
As the focus on petroleum air drilling declined, Schramm shifted gears and introduced its first rotary drilling rigs, called Rotadrills, in 1955. These rigs could be mounted on Pneumatractors, trucks, or caterpillar crawler tracks, making them highly adaptable. This marked a turning point for the company—by 1960, drilling rigs had overtaken air compressors as Schramm’s main product, driving both sales and profits.
Schramm rigs were particularly well-suited for the emerging "DTH" (down-the-hole) drilling method, where a pneumatic hammer at the bottom of the drill rod delivered powerful percussive force to the bit, allowing for much faster drilling. By the 1980s, Schramm had become a leader in the DTH drilling market.
Beyond its innovations in equipment, Schramm was also investing in its people. By 1956, the company had introduced medical benefits, travel insurance, and improved pension plans for employees. Throughout the decade, they continued to expand benefits, adding more vacation time and sick leave. By 1959, Schramm expanded its board of directors to nine members, reflecting its steady rise as a major player in the construction and drilling industries.
This era set the stage for a significant turning point in Schramm’s evolution, shifting from air compressors to drilling rigs and solidifying its reputation for both innovation and employee-focused leadership.
PHOTOGRAPHS : 1940 to 1960
