|
The
Business Spotlight showcases businesses from the Odebolt area.
Lundell Plastics Corporation
400 West Market, Odebolt, IA, 51458
Vance Lundell, President
(712) 668-2400, FAX (712) 668-2402, Toll Free (877) 367-7659
www.lundellplastics.com
July 2003
HISTORY
 Vance Lundell's only ambition while growing up on
a farm south of Odebolt was to be a farmer, yet he was also fascinated by
business.
In Odebolt-Arthur High School while his pals read Sports Illustrated,
he read Fortune Magazine. On the senior class trip to Chicago he saw
the film "The Graduate", and the film's suggestion of a future
in "Plastics" stayed in his subconscious. In college ag
engineering class he had an idea of using a steel auger system to remove
manure from animal confinement buildings. He discussed the idea with
his professor, who told him that it had been tried, but had failed,
due to the corrosive effects of the manure on the metal augers.
Lundell said, "It is ironic how all this culminated in what is today
Lundell Plastics Corporation."
Lundell graduated from college and went to work and live in the Quad
Cities for a time, but, after a few years, returned to his first love,
farming on the family farm. One night in 1981 he was cleaning out
the farm's hog confinement building and again thought of how great it
would be to use an auger system. Then it struck him. What if
the augers were made of plastic!
Unlike some people with a "light bulb" inspiration, Lundell
didn't let it remain just an idea. It would take several years of
trials, development and market research, but he would see the idea through
to fruition.
Between
1983 and 1985 he and a partner began developing models in the Quad Cities.
The first showing of the poly flighting for augers was at the Iowa State
Fair, with a marketing target for waste removal and fertilizer
handling. The team was fortunate to attract the interest of a
fertilizer handling company, and they were in business!
Lundell said, "Keep in mind that this was during the '80's farm
crises. Times were tough for a beginning ag-related business, but
there was nowhere to go but up!" He also knew
there
would be additional applications for the product in the future,
such as in seed handling and industrial production.
Lundell and his partner manufactured the plastic augers in the Quad
Cities for two years. He then bought out his partner and moved back
to the family farm. At first, his molds were custom molded by an
outside company, with assembly in the Lundell farm shop. He then
rented a building in Kiron, but soon outgrew it. He considered
building a manufacturing plant in Kiron, but Ron Rex of Odebolt told him
about land along Highway 175 in Odebolt, and he decided to build there
instead.
EXPANSION
The operation moved to the new facility in Odebolt in 1997, and Lundell
Plastics Corporation added a molding machine to produce products
on-site. The facility has expanded with two additions since
then. The latest expansion of 13,000 square feet more than doubled
the plant area to make room for new product lines. It also contains
a plant office and a product development area. (In 2006 the land to
the east of the plant was purchased and a warehouse will be built on
the site.)
A 13,000 sq. ft. addition to the west end of the plant
in 2002
more than doubled the plant area at Lundell Plastics Corp.
(click photo for enlargement)
NEW PRODUCTS
Lundell has continually added new products and branched out into many
material-handling areas. Over time more sizes of poly cupped
flighting for augers were added to the product line, and now there are 9
sizes ranging from 2" to 12 " diameter.
 A new product line, UHMW Wearshoes, is made of
ultra-high-molecular-weight plastic (UHMW), a tough, high-grade plastic,
which wears longer than steel. The wearshoes for augers can be
pre-formed and pre-drilled to fit onto new or worn steel auger flighting,
thus doubling its life. Applications can be for combines, grain
carts, transport augers, bins and grain handling systems, wherever there
is high volume and wear is a problem. The wearshoes join together
using Lundell's patented "bevel lap joint", and are bolted to
the auger with a special UHMW-capped bolt, counter-sunk for a continuous
smooth surface. Currently there are 150 sizes and Lundell is excited
about the product's potential for future growth. Another new
product, not related to agriculture, is currently in development stages.
The company ships products all over the United States, Canada and to
South America. Currently a company in Sweden is testing their
products and Lundell is looking at expansion into Scandinavian and
European markets.
When
asked, Lundell replied, "I definitely like being in the town
of Odebolt. Most of us grew up on farms, and know how to work!
The Odebolt area work force is friendly, educated and talented, and the
Iowa work ethic makes this a great place to grow a small business.
I'd recommend it to other small industrial businesses looking for a place
to locate and expand."
|
Injection molding machine |
Fabricating metal stairs |
Fabricating equipment |
LINKS
For more information on Lundell Plastics Corporation, see the below
links
 The
Sac County League of Municipalities toured Lundell Plastics
Corporation and a feature article appeared in the Sac Economic &
Tourism Development (SETD) June
2003 newsletter. (119K).
(Visit the SETD
homepage.)
|
