ATEK, Larco to operate under one roof

ATEK Companies announced Thursday afternoon it is combining its Larco and ATEK Manufacturing operations into one facility in Brainerd.

The company reports the merger will streamline and strengthen the manufacturer.

ATEK Manufacturing and Larco employ about 90 people here. Equipment and employees at the Larco facility, at 1902 13th St. in Brainerd, will be moved into ATEK Manufacturing in northeast Brainerd, at 210 N.E. 10th Ave.

Polly Williams, ATEK Manufacturing human resources manager, said there are no current plans to reduce staff at this time. She said room is being made in the ATEK building for about 17 production staff members and six sales staff members from Larco. The Larco building will be put up for sale.

Williams said it's a return to the past in one sense as Larco initially began in the ATEK building in northeast Brainerd. ATEK has operated the two separate facilities since the 1980s. The company said combining the two into one Brainerd plant represents an investment in "strengthening its core manufacturing capability and positioning itself for growth."

"We are committed to keeping manufacturing jobs and business in the Brainerd area," Kay Phillips, ATEK Companies president, said in a news release. "By bringing our capabilities together, we're able to better leverage the skills and talents of our work force and be in a better position to bring in additional business."

The transfer out of Larco's building into ATEK Manufacturing is expected to be completed by the end of October.

"In addition to the manufacturing of safety controls, automatic door mats and handicap wall switches under the Larco brand, ATEK's Brainerd facilities operate as a contract manufacturing business specializing in electro/mechanical assembly and supply chain management, as well as new product development and launch," ATEK reported.

ATEK, originally part of the Acrometal Family of Companies and part of the Brainerd area since 1945, was spun off in 2000. Three years later, ATEK Manufacturing acquired the original Acrometal division and combined the companies in order to broaden ATEK's metal fabrication, electro/mechanical assembly, anodizing and specialty tape reel products capabilities, the company reported.

ATEK Manufacturing provides finished and subassembly products to the medical, communications, industrial and consumer products markets. Larco was founded more than 50 years ago. The company reports Larco is a household name in the automatic door industry and was an automatic door mat pioneer.

ATEK Companies, a management company based in Minneapolis, works with medical, aerospace, defense, communications and transportation industries and is comprised of five businesses - ATEK Medical, ATEK Manufacturing, ATEK Plastics, ATEK Products and Progress Casting. Facilities are in Minneapolis and Brainerd and in - Kerrville, Texas; New Hampton, Iowa; Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Heredia, Costa Rica.