Berntsen & Schonstedt - the partnership is magnetic!
Berntsen and Schonstedt are two companies that were founded on sound science and good ideas – and a strong commitment to make the world a better place.
The brochure for the original Berntsen magnetic monument.
Both companies were founded by entrepreneurs who developed successful products as a result of chance conversations. Back in the early seventies, it happened that Peter Berntsen was chatting with a surveyor who described the many difficulties involved in setting concrete monuments for the Wisconsin DOT. Berntsen immediately knew he could develop a monument that was easier to carry, durable and cheaper. It took some work, but ultimately Berntsen developed a 8.5 pound aluminum alloy magnetic monument that didn’t corrode. Following that innovative product, Berntsen continued to innovate, developing and marketing products that have helped make surveyor’s jobs easier for the past 50 years.
Similarly, in 1953, Erick Schonstedt founded his eponymous company to produce magnetrometers for the aerospace industry. In 1959, he developed the breakthrough cylindrical core magnetometer that became a key part of instrumentation used in everything from satellites to airport metal detectors.
In a moment reminiscent of Peter Berntsen monument idea, a casual conversation with a neighbor looking for his property corners provided the light-bulb moment that set Erick Schonstedt (and his company) on a path to producing the popular (and incredibly durable) “yellow stick” locating tool.
The yellow stick quickly became the locator of choice for surveyors all over the world, and over time, Schonstedt developed a range of devices that met the needs of excavators, deminers and contractors – some able to detect objects up to 20 feet underground. To date, more than 400,000 locators have been shipped.
Image of Erick Schonstedt as published in the 1987 Ontario Land Surveyor journal.
Both Berntsen and Schonstedt have worked together for nearly forty years to provide solutions to locating hard-to-find assets – the partnership of Erick and Peter resulted in the development of the Berntsen Deep1 magnet-embedded caps that work seamlessly with Schonstedt locators to quickly locate buried assets.
Today, Schonstedt locators are an integral part of Berntsen’s suite of marking and mapping solutions that include RFID-enabled magnetic markers that connect to GIS platforms for comprehensive asset management.
Giving Back
Both Berntsen and Schonstedt have been strong supporters of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), providing annual scholarships, including Berntsen’s Final Point program that celebrates the accomplishments of individual surveyors. Schonstedt’s Humanitarian Demining Initiative helps war-torn countries access the magnetic locators they need to clear their land of unexploded ordnance and mines.
Additionally, each year in October, Berntsen and Schonstedt team up to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) by offering a pink version of the famous “yellow stick” and donating a portion of the proceeds to BCRF.
Because Berntsen and Schonstedt are with you for the long haul, you can trade in your old Schonstedt locator and take $100 off the price of a new GA52CX, or $150 off the price of any other Schonstedt locator.
Trade in ANY competitor's magnetic locator and receive a $225 rebate from Schonstedt.
Berntsen & Schonstedt – a truly magnetic partnership dedicated to great products, great customers and making the world a better place.