The Kalida Chamber of Commerce and its members celebrated a ribbon-cutting with McElwain Industries’ CEOs and their families Wednesday morning in Kalida.
Cade Higgins | The Lima News
KALIDA — Friends Brandon Recker and Curt Rieman are breathing new life into the legacy of McElwain Industries and metal fabrication.
Founded in 1983 by Richard and Ameilia McElwain, McElwain Industries has experience in metal fabrication techniques, including welding, powder coating, laser cutting, forming and blasting.
Recker and Rieman have been close to one another for almost their entire lives. They both grew up in the Kalida area and went to Kalida schools together. After college, the two worked at the same company in Wapakoneta.
Recker was into sales and marketing, while Rieman was a mechanical engineer. They maintained a strong friendship while working together and realized they wanted to work in or around their hometown of Kalida. Each of them learned valuable information about the industry and, more importantly, how to treat people.
When the opportunity of coming home was presented to them, they jumped all over it.
In July 2023, Recker and Rieman officially took ownership of McElwain Industries. Many of the facilities are the same, and according to Recker, they have added seven to 10 people to the business. Rieman mentioned they have 50 new customers in five different states. With new ownership comes new energy, a new mission and a new era.
“Our goal is to deliver quality products in a timely manner and develop relationships with partners — not just customers, but also partners,” Rieman said.
Rieman also mentioned the importance of taking care of the employees.
A very grateful and passionate CEO, Recker elaborated on the right way to treat people and how important manufacturing is.
“If we can help provide for them and their career, they will work harder, they’re happier, and manufacturing doesn’t have to be dark and gloomy. It’s a great industry to be a part of,” Recker said.
It wouldn’t seem like it’s only been one year into the transition to new ownership. The company is making a global impact from a small town in Northwest Ohio.
“The best idea always wins,” Recker said.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
