May 2017 marks the 23rd anniversary of K & S Millwrights. Each year it is interesting to reflect on our growth and the changes that occur in the agriculture industry.
Starting on the farm site of Ken and Pearl Stressman in Buffalo Lake, with support from Warren Gerdes at the Buffalo Lake Farmers Coop Elevator and local banker Keith Fischer, the K & S Millwrights’ journey began. From the living room office to a renovated Quonset garage, we quickly were outgrowing every space we had. Over time the Scharmer Lumber Yard was purchased for more warehouse storage, along with more land for building expansions. Over the years, the original farm site evolved into the uprising of new buildings which has created the current site in the NE corner of Buffalo Lake.
Starting with one employee, Brad’s brother Brian, the company has grown over the years to five repair crews, two designated for new construction, an excavation crew, certified crane operators, precise CAD drawings for planning and layout, to a sales crew and five employee’s at the office site. Many of these employees have been with us for years. Including Brad’s son Ahron, who does some sales for the company and manages the new construction sites. All of their commitment and knowledge are a huge part of the success of K & S Millwrights.
Donna Moraz, a long-time supplier for K & S, said it best,
There was no fabrication shop, no K&S branded trailers, no auto-cad engineering, no onsite inventory, and no cranes. Today, K & S has all of that!
In 2001, the local hardware store was purchased, moving this to K & S Millwrights at its onsite location was a win-win for everyone. It not only provides supplies for K & S and our regular customers, but is also a needed resource for our local community. Plus, Kent’s customer service is second to none!
K & S Millwrights has grown into a premier full-service grain handling enterprise, serving customers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. It is exciting to see the business grow over all these years! THANK YOU to all our dedicated employees, and also equally important – you, our customers! K & S would not be what it is today without you. We are proud to be a part of our agriculture community!
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