Ditch Witch founder Ed Malzahn passed away on Dec. 11 at the age of 94, the company announced on Dec. 15.“Ed was the inspirational leader of the Ditch Witch and Charles Machine Works family for over 65 years,” says Rick Johnson, chief executive officer for Charles Machine Works. “He possessed a sharp mind, strong rural work ethic and generous spirit, all of which he used to better those around him.”Malzahn changed the way the world’s utility infrastructure is installed and maintained when he launched the first service line trencher, the Ditch Witch model DWP in 1949 from a small machine
