Loves Park manufacturer wins chamber business award

By Alex Gary

BusinessRockford.com

ROCKFORD — A manufacturing company started 10 years ago by a Laos native with two machines was named the 2009 winner of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year award.

K-I Machine Tool & Production of Loves Park received the award this morning at the AMCORE Business Breakfast at the Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center.

Somchith Inthabandith started the business and slowly built it, mainly machining components for the construction and automotive industries. In 2006, he brought in his sister, Somchan Thatsanaphon, to help him diversify the company.

Since then, they’ve lured John Ohler, former head of the MARRV — the Manufacturing Alliance of the Rock River Valley — to be company president and Mike Molander, who has worked for several small local manufacturers, as a business development specialist.

K-I now has more than 50 customers. Ohler helped K-I form a small alliance with several manufacturers and together the companies have won several awards from the U.S. military, including one for $500,000 this year to make military tools for the U.S. Special Forces.

Molander is helping K-I break into alternative energy manufacturing. The company is in the final stages of signing a contract to machine cast components for a foundry as well as developing a wind turbine that could significantly boost the company’s revenues, which reached $1.3 million last year before the recession cut into sales.

Former Chicago Bulls player Dickey Simpkins was the keynote speaker today, and part of his speech resonated with Thatsanaphon.

“Dickey Simpkins spoke about how it’s your determination and dedication that makes you what you are,” she said. “We had the determination to make things happen. We wouldn’t be this successful if my brother didn’t step aside and tell me to find the right people to push this company forward.”

It is K-I’s constant searching for new industries that impressed Jennifer Wood, an accountant at Sikich LLP, who was one of K-I’s nominators.

“They’ve really taken a look at different opportunities to expand in regards to government work, minority-owned businesses and also the alternative energy markets,” Wood said. “If you look at the way Congress has earmarked funds and credits for alternative energy, we’ll be seeing more and more companies looking to grow in this area. They have a vision and a view that makes it really exciting to work with them.”

Reach Assistant Business Editor Alex Gary at agary@rrstar.com or 815-987-1339.

PAST WINNERS
The Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Award dates back 21 years. The chamber has records on winners dating back to 1993. Here are the past recipients:

2009: K-I Machine Tool & Production

2008: PR Etc. Inc.

2007: Samco

2006: Fat Wallet

2005: Stanley Steemer

2004: ColorLab

2003: Lorden Distributing

2002: Rockford Business College

2001: KMK Media & Bruin Electronics

2000: Forest City Gear

1999: Innovative Training Solutions

1998: Entre Computers

1997: Ringland-Johnson Construction

1996: Staff Management

1995: Midwest Mailworks

1994: Kitzman’s

1993: Rockford Speedway

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