The first products
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As well as single-cylinder weaving and spinning machines, the Stork works also built steam boilers, fired by wood, turf and coal. The new products that rolled out of the works in Hengelo included steam-powered water pumps, pumping stations and other installations for pumping the water out of the Dutch polders and keeping them dry. These were iron constructions, bolted together, and fitted with flywheels, connecting rods, shut-off valves and driving wheels, which in the beginning developed no more than a few horsepower. When financial difficulties looked as if they would prevent expansion of the activities to steam boilers and machines for use in other industries, members of the Mees family (the bankers), Muller (a friend) and Thorbecke (the politician) provided new capital on the recommendation of Mees that no finer and safer investment could be found. Mees became advisor and supervisor. The money allowed the company to add a whole range of new machines to its product line-up. Export Working scale models were shown at the 1878 World Exhibition in Paris, which marked the start of foreign demand - due in part to a gold medal for the so-called horizontal compound steam engine. The first export order was a pumping installation for Italy. From that moment, steam engines bearing the 'Stork Holland' sign were sold at an ever-increasing rate to countries all over the world. At New Year 1877/1878, Charles wrote in his diary: "This has been one of the happiest years of my life. The engineering works can now be regarded as firmly established. The goal of this part of my life has been achieved."
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