LOCATION: 9909 S. 57th Street, Franklin, WI 53132
WEBSITE: www.steelesolutions.com
YEAR FOUNDED: 1996
PRODUCT OR SERVICE OFFERED: Custom-engineered, free-standing mezzanines and support structures
PROJECTED 2008 REVENUE: N.A.
LEADERSHIP TEAM: Mike Thelen, president; Terry Young, vice president; and Kevin O’Neill, vice president.
TARGET CLIENTELE: Nationwide network of material handling distributors and systems intergrators who service Fortune 500 companies warehouse needs.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS: Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, National Federation of Small Business, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Material Handling Equipment Distibutors Association.
WHAT HAS FUELED YOUR COMPANY’S GROWTH? Our growth has been fueled by the ever increasing need of companies to renovate their warehouses and increase the effeciency of their distrubution system.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO YOUR COMPANY’S GROWTH? Rising health care costs and the shrinking of a skilled labor pool have made growth more difficult. In addition, the rising cost and availability of steel have put pressure on margins.
DO YOU PLAN ANY CHANGES IN YOUR COMPANY IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS? We have plans to make a second addition to our facility to increase capacity. We will also continue to add talented professionals to our organization.
WHO ARE THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY, WHOM YOU ADMIRE? AND WHAT TRAITS DO THOSE PEOPLE EXHIBIT THAT MAKE YOU ADMIRE THEM? I respect a number of local and national business leaders. However, it is our employees I admire the most. Their passion, dedication and loyalty to Steele Solutions and our customers make us a great company.
WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE BUSINESS CONDITIONS OF YOUR INDUSTRY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS? Our short-term industry outlook is for slow to no growth and increasing raw goods prices. Capital goods expenditures have flattened, and in some of our markets, are declining.
