We're Celebrating Our 50th Anniversary!
Check back every month to find a new story written by Larry Kerkstra, the Chairman & Founder of Kerkstra Precast.
We purchased 37 acres in Grandville about 12 years ago to build our first production facility for Hollowcore floors and walls. This state-of-the-art facility had the ability to produce precast/prestress Hollowcore, Beams & Columns and Wall Panels. We began with a spancrete machine and franchise from the Wisconsin Spancrete Company. We also purchased a mix system batcher plant with two, two yard mixers. We made our Hollowcore floor and walls in 8ft width, but after a few years the 8ft width was obsolete and the market demanded 12 ft width. So we sold the spancrete machine and poured wall panels in conventional forms and purchased a PCE machine, from Finland to make Hollowcore. In 2006, we added 25,000 square feet of office space to the Grandville location to house our entire staff.
This is about the time that Greg starts to take over the company and I retired. He and the staff continued to manufacture and market new products: double-tees, columns, beams and solid walls, along with doing some architectural wall panels. We have to credit our employees with the success of the company. We have so many good and caring employees and for that we are thankful. Without them we would never be able to do all we do here at Kerkstra. I’m thankful I could be a part of this growing company.
To God be the Glory,
Larry Kerkstra