Highway Equipment Company (HECO), the manufacturer of Hi-Way road maintenance equipment and New Leader crop nutrient applicators, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2014.
The company was founded in 1939 by Roy Gaddis. Since its inception, HECO has maintained one goal: to build the best. The first products were highway sand spreaders, which consisted of a hopper and hand-operated spinner system. Soon after, HECO manufactured the first New Leader product, a motorized sled. As the company grew and demands changed, HECO expanded its product lines to leverage changes in technology and to meet new expectations.












