Henry Synck

In the farming communities of Ohio, fertilization of fields was possible only by the distribution of animal excrement, usually mixed with bedding straw to create a semi-solid mixture of manure.

[5] In 1899 Synck's father-in law, Joseph Oppenheim invented the most important component of the first practical mechanical manure spreader.

Oppenheim subsequently developed a model from a cigar box and demonstrated the feasibility of distributing manure in a "wide spread pattern".

After months of "trial and error it became obvious he (Oppenheim) had solved the problem of manure spreading...... that he had created a "New Idea"......and that a name and an invention had been born!"

Following his death, his wife, Mary Ellerbrock Oppenheim, invested in New Idea and made decisions to move the company forward.

Mary Oppenheim died in 1907 [7] New Idea continued to grow and in 1908 the company moved to Coldwater, Ohio, where a railhead existed to ship the completed spreaders.

In this closely held family company, Henry Synck remained involved with New Idea as a manager of one of the production units.