DeKalb Businesses Earn Statewide Honors
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
AUBURN — two companies from DeKalb County will be honored among 43 outstanding businesses in Indiana’s fourth annual list of “Companies to Watch.” The local companies are DeKalb Molded Plastics in Butler and Team Quality Services of Auburn.
“These ‘Companies to Watch’ are among the firms fostering Indiana’s economic growth,” said Mitch Roob, secretary of commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. “This group deserves our congratulations and our thanks for helping to make Indiana a great state for business.”
DeKalb Molded Plastics, an injection molder of medium and large structural foam products, makes products for clients in the medical, logistics, warehousing and construction safety markets. Founded in 1979, it employs more than 70 people and recently announced plans to expand, creating up to 20 new jobs by 2014. As a custom molder, “You bring us your idea and your tool, and we’ll produce your product for you,” company president Rick Walters said in a recent interview.
Team Quality Services provides support services to improve product quality. It owns Qnet Manager, a proprietary software for categorizing, organizing and communicating quality issues to customers and suppliers. Founded in 1997, Team Quality Services serves as a bridge between suppliers and manufacturers. It provides on-site representatives who respond to quality-related issues immediately. “We are basically an extension of the Quality Department for a company,” said Chris Straw, founder of Team Quality Services. “Our first year, it was a $20,000 part-time job, and now we’re a $10 million company,” Straw said. Based in Auburn, the company employs nearly 100 field agents across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The “Companies to Watch” accolade is presented by the Indiana Economic Development Corp., its Small Business Development Center network, Purdue University and the Edward Lowe Foundation. The honor recognizes privately held businesses in Indiana that employ six to 150 full-time employees and have between $750,000 to $100 million in annual revenue or capital.
The 43 “Companies to Watch” from 18 Indiana counties were chosen after evaluating more than 300 nominations for the awards. They represent industries ranging from custom sign design to medication consulting services and snorkeling equipment manufacturing to fire and storm restoration services.
The chosen companies project to have combined revenues in excess of $600 million and create more than 550 new jobs this year. The revenue projections represent an increase of more than $100 million or 33 percent from 2010.
With major sponsorship from Barnes and Thornburg LLP, the “Companies to Watch” awards program was developed by the Cassopolis, Mich.-based Edward Lowe Foundation. The foundation licenses similar programs in Michigan, Colorado, Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina. The program is sponsored in part by Premier Capital Corp., Katz Sapper & Miller and KeyBank.
The 43 “Companies to Watch” will be honored at an Aug. 25 ceremony at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis. Tickets for the ceremony and dinner may be purchased online at indianaactw.eventbrite.com or by calling 888-472-3244.
The Star Auburn, Indiana dekalbstar.com
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