Finishing & Plating Service Inc.
4545 68th Ave., Kenosha
Industry: Metal finishing
Employees: 49
fpswi.com
It has been 70 years since Tom Laken Sr., a self-taught chemist, started Finishing & Plating Service Inc. in 1952, but the company is still going strong into its fourth generation of family leadership.
Today, FPS specializes in zinc electroplating of parts ranging from small fasteners to large 10-foot by six-foot components.
“We service a lot of the agriculture companies, home appliances, fasteners,” said Tom Laken IV, president of FPS. “That’s a lot of our main customers, but we really cover pretty much everything, a little automotive, that kind of stuff, too.”
Tom and his brother are the fourth generation in the business. Their father, Tom Laken III, is the company’s chief executive officer.
Being a family business has its benefits, even in an increasingly corporate world.
“It’s pretty beneficial because we just have a good understanding of working with each other and people respect that we have made it work for this long,” Tom Laken IV said.
The company has done more than just make it work, it has grown to around 50 employees running six state-of-the-art plating lines across three shifts, five days per week. The company moved to a 38,000-square-foot facility in the Kenosha Industrial Park in the early 1990s and has since completed two expansions, adding warehouse space and enclosing its shipping docks.
FPS has also invested significantly in an in-house water treatment facility that exceeds local, state and federal requirements. The company has also received ISO certifications for its quality management.
Those investments have translated to business growth with revenue up more than 12% since 2019. While business remains steady, Laken IV acknowledged things have cooled lately.
“We’ve been pretty busy the last year, year and a half, sort of catching up from COVID,” he said. “We always have work to do.”
As the pandemic and changes in demand created issues in supply chains, Laken IV said it seemed as if some customers were sending double the orders to make sure they had stock in place in case similar disruptions took place.
“Now they’re starting to realize things are starting to slow down and maybe we’re getting back to normal,” he said.
Like many businesses, Laken IV said it can be challenging to fill open positions, but recently things have improved, and the company has been able to hire through more traditional means and asking employees for referrals.
FPS has also been a supporter of a number of foundations, charities and programs in the Kenosha area over the years, including the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha and the Kenosha Achievement Center.
“We just have a big philosophy with giving back to the community and helping out those who are helping us grow our business,” Laken IV said. “It just goes full circle.”
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