Kringstad Ironworks

Bernie Kringstad started out 10 years ago as a welding shop south of Hoople doing farm repairs. The first manufacturing job they tackled was building safety hitches used to pull beet trucks through muddy fields. Then came a partnership with the University of North Dakota engineering department to build a prototype for a drone launcher. “That opened doors for bigger projects,” said Kringstad.

When the opportunity came, they bid on American Crystal’s contract for building massive sugar beet pilers. At about the same time they hosted a Danish representative from LM Glassfiber, the world class builder of wind turbine blades. They were looking for someone to build glass carts – fully automated steel carts that handle one ton rolls of fiberglass –for their plant expansion at Grand Forks and Quebec.

When both contracts were solidified, Kringstad Ironworks turned to the Red River Regional SBDC for help with managing the growth. They needed additional employees, more space, new equipment and operating capital.

The financial package included both public and private sources. SBDC assisted in solidifying the financial projections, securing appropriate consultants to improve productivity and cash management, and accompanying Kringstad to various stakeholder presentations to secure funding for the expansion.

Businesses, especially those in a rural area, need and advocate that can catapult them into viable exporting options within their industry. Dawn assisted Kringstad in securing international contracts to export his specialty machinery and posed Kringstad to competitively compete for further construction around the globe within his niche.