DeGeest Steel Works Co is a third-generation family-owned business founded in 1976 by Clint and Glenyce DeGeest. Today, Scott DeGeest, Derek and Alicia DeGeest, and Matt DeGeest work in the company along with 40 plus employees. In 2014, DeGeest Steel Works doubled its square footage with a move to their current facility in Tea, South Dakota. The company recently finished another major expansion with the help of financing from First Premier Bank in Sioux Falls and First District Development Company (FDDC) via the SBA 504 loan. DeGeest Steel Works now operates as a custom steel fabricator in 135,000 square feet of floor space.
DeGeest Steel Works Co provides manufacturing components for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the forestry, agriculture, construction, and utility industries. The automated technology DeGeest uses in its manufacturing processes has advanced the growth of their company. This process includes the use of robotic welders, as seen in the picture to the left. Their growth stems from long term relationships with DeGeest’s existing customers, but also demand from new customers they previously could not consider due to capacity limitations.
After DeGeest Steel Works made the decision to expand their building footprint, they made an additional financing request to First Premier Bank and FDDC for an SBA 504 project. The second project involved a state-of-the-art blasting and wet coat painting system that included robotic painting stations, as seen in the picture to the right. Expanding and automating their painting equipment will allow DeGeest Steel Works to paint most of their finished parts, saving their customers time and transportation costs to another facility to be painted. With their in-house fabrication software and automated equipment, the need for customers to contract with multiple vendors to complete parts has been eliminated.
In reg
ards to the 504 financing package, Derek DeGeest, President of DeGeest Steel Works Co, noted, “This program allowed us to invest in both our employees and our equipment to better serve our customers with advanced finishing robotics and automation.” Congratulations to DeGeest Steel Works Co on their expansion and continued success!
Pictured left: Matt DeGeest, Scott DeGeest, Derek DeGeest, and Alicia DeGeest.