Article appeared in the Nov 10 issue of the Interlake Spectator…
Norm Penner started welding at 8 years old., then at age 12 worked two hours each day after school at the family business, now known as Okno Manufacturing, Inc., started in 1980 by his father, Abe. The business, with he, his father and brother now at the helm, has grown slowly and steadily over the years, beginning as a repair shop for farm machinery.
Throughout its history, the company has manufactured stainless steel hog feeders, and produced steel brackets for Faroex of Gimli, for their fibre glass crates. It has done subcontracting work for neighbouring Profab, and for Vidir Machine. The company also received substantial contract work from Hi-Tec Industries in Portage la Prairie, a company owned by Penner’s father in law, which manufactures bale grinders and other agricultural machinery, supplying them with augers and unloading tubes for combines.
“Our goal was always to manufacture new product,” said Penner. “We were always known as a stainless steel manufacturer up to five years ago,”
Okno Manufacturing has experienced its up and downs over the years, but a recent slow period marked a turning point for the company. At a shortage of business due to the economic climate, they spent the down time cleaning house, literally. But what may have seemed like misfortune at the time, may prove to be the best thing that ever happened to them.
They cleaned and organized the shop, and unable to find affordable storage cabinets for heavy tools, they took that time to build on a prototype that they had created six years earlier, namely, a storage system they now call ‘Swivel Storage Solutions’.
Two years ago Okno Manufacturing started a full Swivel Storage Solutions product line, and now offer 15 variations on the design. The product differs from cabinets that are currently on the market in that the drawers swivel, rather than slide in and out, and unlike conventional cabinets, don’t bind with debris, and are more durable.
“There’s no friction loss because it is shaft on shaft. The drawers can swivel with one little pinkie. Weight does not affect the performance at all,” Penner explained.
“We decided to go after it and see if we could market our own product.”
To that end, the company hired a professional sales manager and began to do trade shows, farm shows, and began the process of researching large companies in Canada and the US who might be interested in the product.
Their big break came in September 2010 when at a big trade show in Chicago. Brian Fuller, host of “Two Guys Garage” television show, happened upon the Swivel Storage Solutions exhibit.
“He was just in love with it instantly. We gave him a complementary unit in exchange for advertising on his show.”
Soon after the meeting, Fuller displayed his one-of-a-kind motor cycle atop a Swivel Storage unit at North America’s largest automotive show held in Las Vegas, and filmed an episode of “Two Guys Garage”. The episode aired in December 2010, and within a half hour of the show’s airing, Penner was fielding calls and emails from interested viewers.
In a short time, Okno Manufacturing has managed to get some large companies on board–Sears, USA, Integrated Supply Network (ISN), and the ink has barely dried on a contract that was signed with Aklands-Granger in the US, sealing a deal that they will be a distributer for the Swivel Storage Solutions. All combined, Okno Manufacturing will now have 15,000 retail outlets for their storage cabinets at their finger tips.
“In the next six months we’ll have so much exposure,” said Penner. “Our products will always be an option. They’re advertising in their catalogues or on-line. We are just on the verge of–who knows where–massive growth,” a prospect which Penner said is both exciting and frightening.
With all of this good luck and success, much depends on Okno Manufacturing’s ability to deliver the goods. For this, they need more welders. Currently, the company only has five on staff, and they are faced with the same problem other companies in the area are facing as well, a shortage of qualified workers.
While they are willing to train people, the problem of a lack of rental housing in the area exists. This prevents people who want to move to the area and take jobs from doing so.
“Just because of the employee pool, we might have to move closer to the city, or even outside the province. We don’t know yet. Absolutely we would rather stay here,” Penner said.
