Hermance Machine Co. was founded in 1902, after A.D. Hermance sold his interest in American Wood Working Machine Co. that he acquired when his former company, Rowley & Hermance, was merged in 1897 with ten others to create American. Mr. Hermance retired for good in 1909.
According to an email from the company, they ceased manufacture in 1991 (another source, from 1985, says that they discontinued manufacturing "some years ago"), but continue to operate out of the original 1902 building as one of the U.S.'s largest distributors of industrial woodworking machinery.
Information Sources
- The 1985 book, Planers, Matchers & Molders in America, by Chandler W. Jones, says that this company discontinued manufacturing "some years ago".
- Thanks to OWWMer Mike Burian for providing information on this company and its predecessors, including numerous patent dates gleaned from catalog illustrations.