By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HAVEN, Kan. — Ken Brown likes what he sees in Haven Steel. The Iowa native has been the owner of the company for the past 10 months after purchasing a majority share in the family-owned business that employs 80 people.
“My father-in-law has been working with Haven Steel from its inception in 1968 when he came in as a minority shareholder with Dick and Jack Parker, who started the business,” Brown said. “He approached me multiple times to buy the business, but he was really never ready and he really loves it and wants it to stay in the family. We went through the valuation process and we put together a package to be able to acquire the company.”
The long-time family business has been a cornerstone in the small Reno County community manufacturing rotary cutting blades and other spring steel products. Brown says being family owned has its benefits and challenges.
“It tugs more at your heart, there’s more of an emotional connection to a family business than just an asset you try to grow,” Brown said. “There's less of a financial component I would say versus just investing and buying stock.”
If you see machinery mowing ditches or farmers using tillage equipment, chances are most of the spring steel components came from Haven Steel. And it comes all American made.
“When you see someone mowing the interstate, chances are the blades that are on that mower came from out of Haven, Kansas,” Brown said. “Anything that is 5160 spring steel heat treated, we make those here. And also with 100% American steel, we don’t buy any foreign steel.”
Haven Steel has felt the pinch from the pandemic-driven market, but Brown says the Midwest has been better at shielding companies from as much harm as other areas of the country. He says it starts with good governing.
“You see a more conservative governance in general by the elected officials in the Midwest,” Brown said. “It seems like the midwestern states have seen a different resilience and it seems like if we do have a recession we are the last, but we're also the first to come out.”
Many companies in Kansas face challenges in finding enough of a workforce to keep up with business demand. In the past 10 months, the company has worked to improve its workforce in a job that is not easy work.
“Right now, we would hire about 15 if we could get our hands on them,” Brown said. “We’ve increased the signing bonus. So if someone signs on at Haven Steel, at 90 days, you get a $250 bonus. And at six months, they get another $250 bonus. Working here isn’t easy. It’s hot in the summer and, by the way, it’s hot in the winter. When that steel comes out of the oven and it's orange, it's not because it's painted.”
While the company certainly holds its own when it comes to the products it produces, Brown sees the need to keep Haven Steel moving forward, something he has been successful at with other companies.
“My theory is if you’re not growing, you’re dying," Brown stressed. "My other family business, when my brother and I took it over as an interim president, we grew that by 500%. We hope to do the same thing here.”
Brown says that includes pursuing international customers, more products to produce and providing assembly and machining services for customers.