Local company acquires and plans to relocate Colorado-based LSDI to Kimball

Since 1967, when Forward Kimball Industries first wooed George Risk to move his business west, George Risk Industries (GRI) has been a leading employer in Kimball.

The company, family-owned now for three generations, moved to Kimball with about five employees, mainly manufacturing heatsinks and eventually expanding into security switches and proximity products.

The early years were financially tough for the company, according to long-time employee and board member Dan Douglas.

At some point the business purchased molding machines and began to manufacture key caps for the keyboards they made.

"When I first came here (in the 1980s) we had some standard keyboards that we sold to some hobbyists that were putting together their own PCs, back in the early PC days when it was cheaper to build your own than buy an Apple," Douglas said.

By that time GRI employed 30-35 employees in on ebuilding and eventually George's son, Ken, took over the business after serving on the board and throughout those years the company continued to grow.

"George was an inventor and an entrepreneur, but not a businessman," he said. "Ken was a businessman and salesman."

Under Ken's leadership, in the 90s, GRI built a second large building at the corner of Oak and Ninth streets and further expanded into the Gering area.

"The company looks totally different than when I first walked through those doors," Douglas said.

GRI has shown longevity in the community as well as the ability to diversify. Now, with nearly 160 employees in Kimball and Gering, GRI purchased a large warehouse (formerly owned by Polypipe), for storage.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Stephanie Risk-McElroy, President and CEO of the company, announced the purchase of Labor Saving Devices, Inc. (LSDI), a Colorado-based company focused on wire installation tool design and manufacturing.

"Over the last couple of years we had looked at a couple of different things, but they didn't pan out. Labor Saving Devices, Inc. reached out to us, and this was something that we felt would increase our revenue," she added.

"We are excited about adding the LSDI line to the GRI family. We are both home-grown companies with a strong commitment to quality and customer service. Mr. Bowling was an early member of the board of directors at GRI and an industry innovator. We look forward to expanding our product line and markets," Risk-McElroy stated in the recent press release.

The acquired business primarily serves the audio/visual, electrical, communications and security alarm markets. Risk-McElroy recognizes some overlap in customers between the two businesses, she expects the diversified product lines will present many new opportunities.

The LSDI equipment and product will be moved to Kimball, a process that is expected to be complete in the next month, and Risk-McElroy expects that at least one vital LSDI employee will relocate as well, and more work force will likely be necessary as the local business continues to grow.