Jim Kacmarcik
President
Kapco Inc.
1000 Badger Circle, Grafton
Industry: Metal-related manufacturing
Revenue: Sales increased by 30 percent in 2010
Employees: 260
Grafton-based Kapco Inc. is a full-service metal component manufacturer that once solely focused on metal-stamping and now includes fabrication, bending, robotic welding and painting services under the leadership of president Jim Kacmarcik.
“I learned early on from my dad who started the business 40 years ago and my mom who ran our first press, a few simple lessons: work hard, hire great people, treat customers and employees fairly and do not carry debt,” said Kacmarcik. “It is not anything new, but you have to be committed to living it.”
Kapco has clients in more than 20 states across the country, which include some of the best known brands in contracting, construction and industrial equipment, recreational vehicle, fitness equipment, electric motor and generator equipment.
Despite the Great Recession, the company’s sales grew 30 percent in 2010 after sales the previous year increased by about 19 percent in 2009.
Kacmarcik hired an additional 60 employees in 2010 increasing Kapco’s total employment to 260.
Operating out of a top-of-the-line facility, Kapco focuses on “making people our priority” demonstrated in Kacmarcik’s customer service and charity work. While Kapco is considered one of the area’s leading manufacturers, Kapco also ranks high in employee relations and philanthropy work.
“Hometown Heroes,” an organization that honors local police, firefighters and emergency responders, and “Home Court Heroes,” an organization that honors people who have made generous contributions to the community, are two of the many charities Kacmarcik contributes to.
Many cannot imagine the Milwaukee area without Kacmarcik’s contributions. He is just as serious about his company and employees as he is about giving back to others. The more successful Kapco is the more Kacmarcik can give which brings him and his team great pleasure.
“We might have the fastest machines and the ability to pay for them but unless you have the people to run them it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Ultimately, we choose to invest in people, our customers, employees, vendors and the communities we work and live in. We have a corporate mentality of giving back, being good stewards of what we have been blessed with.”
