Lukjan Anniversary Sees Business Progressing

Lukjan Metal Products celebrates its first year in production at its Sidney facility this month and the company's regional manger says they are pleased with the move and its results.

"We're close where we wanted to be," said Herb Gibson.

Gibson said the company was able to "leapfrog" ahead of its original plan in some ways, thanks to an opportunity it had to purchase the equipment of a former competitor. Getting that equipment, he said, "gives us lots of potential to grow."

As it is, the Sidney plant production is at about 80 percent of where it will need to be.

"We're still bringing people along, and we still need to hire a few," he said.

Lukjan, based in Conneaut, Ohio, expanded its operation to Sidney last year after finding the former CommScope wire plant building and Sidney location would suit its needs for working into additional markets. Lukjan purchased the building and later sold part of it to another transplanted company, Agri-Plastics.

Lukjan Metal Products makes duct work for housing and light industrial new construction. Sidney's location allowed the company to expand into the hot Denver and Colorado construction market, as well as others. Gibson said the company has been able to serve customers in Montana, western South Dakota and North Dakota, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and the Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas area.

He said part of their regional service success has been because of its relationship with a long-time Sidney area business.

"We have a great partner in trucking," Gibson said, referring to Adams Industries. He said the partnership and Sidney's location allow the company to send product to some areas in one or two days, rather than customers waiting several days for their order.

While nearly every business has surprises and challenges in expansions or changes, Gibson couldn't name one that stood out - but said they were happy with what they found for a workforce in Sidney.

"What we're most pleased with is the depth of our management and staff to understand and adapt to the new industry and product," Gibson said.

He said the Sidney management team has done a very good job meeting the company's needs, and that the staff has proven itself highly capable.

"I can't think of anything that hasn't met our expectations," he said of Sidney when asked if it was everything they had hoped it would be. "It's good to be able to drive away and know that you have management and staff that will take care of your business."

Lukjan Sidney currently has 40 employees and Gibson said he hopes that number will be up to 50 in another month. That would match what the company originally set for a four-year goal. But that isn't all the company sees for the future.

"It's a good start,"Gibson said. "We have a little work to do get some momentum going. I look forward to the day where we could have 60 or 70 employees and everything is going in stride."