History of Ehler Brothers Co.

Ehler Brothers was a vision of Roy R Ehler. Roy Ehler was working as a gas station attendant while providing for his young family of 6. Struggling to make ends meet Roy eventually started a custom corn shelling business that quickly grew into his customers asking about whether or not he could provide them with crop inputs for their farms. In 1966 Roy decided to take the leap of faith and begin his venture into a new form of business in ag retail. Roy then constructed the first Ehler Brothers retail plant right outside his own kitchen window where that building still stands today.

Over the course of time the business grew and changed, growing the size of his own farm with the help from his two brothers and their sons, venturing into the seed business and eventually custom sprayer parts and sales as well. In the mid to late 70’s Roy acquired two additional pieces of property, one just east of his home near Thomasboro and one west of Royal Illinois, both are still the home of the two Ehler Brothers retail fertilizer plants today.

Roy had many passions and dreams in life. One of the things that Roy felt strongly about was his dislike for the 5 gallon herbicide container. With the help and input from several key employees Roy was the pioneer in the first design of what the ag industry has come to know as the “Mini Bulk Tank”. Roy took his “Don’t pour it..pump it” moto and ran with it. He went on to repack bulk herbicides for many manufacturers and distributors.

Without Roy’s vision Ehler Brothers would not exist today. Roy had many sayings but one still stands out today and we still live by it every day. His saying was “If you aren’t going to do it right…then don’t do it at all”.