Degelman, Wilfred (1930-)

An entrepreneur known for his creative inventions and modifications of farm machinery, Wilfred Degelman was born in Raymore, Saskatchewan on August 7, 1930. Neighbours purchased the young man's specialized equipment, invented and perfected in his father's shop. Degelman's pivotal invention is the Degelman Stone King rockpicker, first manufactured in 1963. Two years later, Degelman Industries was established in Regina as the demand for the implement increased. Since then, it has upgraded and expanded its facilities many times: in addition to the rockpicker, the company has diversified its output to include bulldozer blades, rock rakes, harrows, and tillage machines. Although the operation continues to be family-run, the workers joined the United Steelworkers Union in 2000 and initiated a successful strike in 2004, much to the company's surprise. Degelman still takes an active role as president of the company, working on new designs and flying in his airplane to help customers.

Merle Massie

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