J.R. Merritt Controls, Inc. was established in 1986 and served for nearly four decades as a distributor and service center for Spohn & Burkhardt GmbH & Co., one of the first manufacturers of industrial switchgear. Spohn & Burkhardt was founded in 1920 by Karl Spohn and David Burkhardt and remains in family ownership.
As an early distributor for Spohn & Burkhardt, J.R. Merritt Controls, Inc. gained its reputation by offering a new breed of joysticks to the metals industry. By replacing the hard to operate high spring force joysticks being used in steel mills with rugged low spring force joysticks, the acceptance of these operator friendly and durable joysticks into steel mills was overwhelming.
Today, J.R. Merritt Controls is an independent U.S. based industrial manufacturer and systems integrator headquartered in Stratford, Connecticut. With over 50 employees including dedicated engineering, quality assurance, and customer service teams - we design, manufacture, and support a full line of heavy-duty operator control products from our own ISO 9001:2015 certified facility
Our in-house capabilities include complete product design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, and repair services. Every product undergoes 100% inspection before it ships. Our quality team works alongside our engineering and production staff to ensure consistent, reliable performance across the most demanding industrial environments.
Whether you need a new joystick, a custom control station, an operator chair system, or service support for legacy equipment, our customer service and technical support teams are here to help — with the responsiveness and accountability that comes from working directly with the people who design and build the product.
J.R. Merritt Controls, Inc. is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by Spohn & Burkhardt GmbH & Co. "Spohn & Burkhardt" and "Spohn" are trademarks of their respective owner and are used here only to identify Spohn & Burkhardt products we stock and support.
J.R. Merritt stocks genuine Spohn & Burkhardt inventory (while supplies last) and provides independent parts support and repair services for many Spohn & Burkhardt joystick and control products used in industrial applications. We also offer replacement and alternative control solutions where appropriate.
Availability varies by model. The items below reflect common Spohn & Burkhardt products we support and/or may have available; please contact us to confirm current stock and service coverage.
Heavy Duty Industrial Joysticks
Dual Axis: VNS0, NNS0, VNS2, VCS0, CS1, NS3, HS2, M0
Single Axis Control Lever: ST0, ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, NS0-SF, NS0-SFA, NS2KA
Rotary Controllers
NS00, NS20
Portable Consoles & Enclosures
T-011, IDV-CS065, T-56, T97A, T-022A,TP022, TP022A
Pendants
H-011, HV, HBV, HD
Operator Chair Systems
FSRH, FSRHD, FSRH-G, FSRHD-G, FSHRD-2G
FSA, FSAD
SV1C
FSB, FSBD
FSK, FSKD
FSR, FSRD
FSMD, FSMDF, FSMMD, FSMMD-SHN
FSAL
SV0G, SV0B, SV0BK
Console units NS0P, NS0PK
Console stands SV0, SV0K
Foot Pedals
SF, FST, FPS, FPW
Resistors
Wire wound resistors
Steel grid resistors
Cast iron resistors
Handles & Grips
Potentiometers, Encoders and sensors
Floor slide systems
SM13008-8, SM13008-7, SM13008-5
Through our decades of work with Spohn & Burkhardt products, J.R. Merritt developed deep expertise serving customers across many industries, including:
Steel Mills & Foundries
Locomotives
Ports & Ships
Offshore
Forklifts & Access Platforms
Electro-Hydraulic Systems
Material Handling Systems
Looking for a domestic alternative? J.R. Merritt manufactures its own line of heavy-duty industrial joysticks, control stations, operator chair systems, and more — designed and built in the USA at our Stratford, CT facility.