
Advancing Water Management for a Sustainable Future
Water is a precious resource vital for agricultural production and the overall health of our environment. As the demand for food grows and concerns about...
Water is a precious resource vital for agricultural production and the overall health of our environment. As the demand for food grows and concerns about...
Central Plastics Inc. is a remarkable success story in the drainage industry. We talked with Curt Yoder, co-founder of Central Plastics Inc., to get the...
Braving the trenches for drainage solutions is no walk in the park. Let's be real, it's tough, gritty work, and there's no sugar-coating it. Where...
About to celebrate his one year “workiversary,” Austin Simanson, has felt like part of the Fratco family since the moment he was hired last summer. ...
We are excited to share some significant and exciting changes that have been taking place at Fratco. Rooted in our commitment to delivering the best...
Fratco was proud to accept their Governor’s Century Award from Governor Holcomb earlier this month in Indianapolis. A century of service is defined by the...
With agriculture making up a large portion of plastic drainage pipe business, it is no surprise that the Farm Bill is hot news right now...
Over six decades ago, a 25 year old David Pullins took a chance and started Pullins Drainage and Excavation, LLC. The business succeeded and it...
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) is a trade association that represents all the industries where plastic pipe is used. They are composed of many members...
Starting out as a single guy working in the yard getting customers loaded, Stephen feels like Fratco has been there every step of his growth....
Fratco always has an eye on the horizon for what’s next, and one person on the front lines of the company’s careful expansion is Jerry...
From natural resources drawn out of the earth to highly engineered drainage buried underground, the supply chain acts as the circle of life for products...
Four generations of family-ownership have taught Fratco’s leadership a thing or two about doing business with your kin. Close relationships with dozens of contractors who...
Fratco believes that tomorrow belongs to those who build it, and we’re proud to be among the ranks of those who help move the industry...
Recount the life and legacy of Iowan farmer, James "Jim" Vantiger, who built a successful farming and grain broker business, played a crucial role in...
The first-ever North American Conservation and Drainage Expo (NACADE) made its debut in January of this year. For three days, the Hyvee Hall convention center...
A century of service is defined by the people who provide it. For a multi-generational family business like Fratco, those people are a tight-knit yet...
When Steve Overmyer stepped into his leadership role in 1978, the company was still known by most as Francesville Drain Tile—named after the small Indiana...
Many things about Chris Overmyer make him a unique CEO—both in the water management sector specifically and in the business world overall. Few companies, for...
It’s a family tradition for Overmyers to begin their careers at Fratco in the same way as any other new employee, and Derek is no...
Fratco believes that tomorrow belongs to those who build it, and we’re proud to be among the ranks of those who help move the industry...
2023 is Fratco’s 100th year in business, and we want to celebrate with you. Look for us at the tradeshows and conventions listed in this...
While agricultural drainage may be a common implementation of Fratco products, many experienced contractors know that drainage technology also intersects with a wide variety of...
The town of Birmingham, Iowa doesn’t have the notoriety of the famous Alabama city that shares its name. Of course, that’s to be expected for...
Fratco has been a leader in the modern drainage industry, but what about before the notion of industry existed at all? In other words—how did...
In the four years since he started at Fratco, Jose Requeña has seen the pipe industry from three distinct perspectives. He first began at the...
Few can claim a closer connection to the excavation business than Rudy DeSabatine. Not only has Rudy spent his own professional life laying tile, he...
Outsiders often think of agriculture as a low-tech and primitive industry. To some, the world of farming still resembles the iconic imagery of 1930’s American...
A lot can happen in 24 years —that’s enough time for a newborn to grow into adulthood, for technology to progress leaps and bounds or...
Seasons come and go as crops are sown, grown and harvested by farmers who feed the world. And just like every harvest must be carefully...
The cost to power businesses is constantly shifting. No matter the industry, efficient operations minimize rising energy costs. That's why cost-effective alternatives are becoming more...
In 1821, Putnam County, Indiana, was formed. Located west of Indianapolis, the county was named after General Israel Putnam, who served during the Revolutionary War....
These days, everyone is taking a closer look at product prices. From the gas station to the grocery store, consumer cost awareness is higher than...
Bees are essential. They pollinate plants that feed the world and help maintain a balance between other species and the environment. By carrying pollen from...
Meeting with customers, attending trade shows and working conventions have kept Jade Crum busy. With only a few months under his belt, Crum is acclimating...
Farmers blasting weeds with pinpoint lasers? Precision planting drones? Farmhands running on solar power rather than morning joe? These aren’t futuristic Star Trek episodes but rather today’s...
For new farmers looking to invest in land, the task can feel daunting. Pressures abound, like finding the perfect plot, the purchase price, competing with...
Although lawns do not require as much care in cooler months as they do in spring, summer and fall, winter weather doesn’t mean completely ignoring...
Although lawns do not require as much care in cooler months as they do in spring, summer and fall, winter weather doesn’t mean completely ignoring...
For new farmers looking to invest in land, the task can feel daunting. Pressures abound, like finding the perfect plot, the purchase price, competing with...
for participants and fans. Not every weekend in the stands is filled with sunshine. Rain delays happen, but canceled events due to water-logged fields don’t...
In the mid-1980s, two brothers invested $2,700 in a tile machine and a dream. By 1990, they officially incorporated Johnston Land Improvement, which over the...
Coworkers that feel more like family than business associates are a common theme among Fratco employees. Brandon Herron echoes that sentiment, proudly serving as the...
When you work in manufacturing, adding extra sunshine into the day makes everything brighter. That was one of the ambitious goals Fratco brought to the...
Since 1987, Willie Parish has been part of the Fratco family. Recently promoted to Manufacturing Superintendent, Willie began where so many start their careers at...
Pennsylvania civic leader Dr. Benjamin Rush was a physician, politician, humanitarian, educator and one of the historymakers who helped pen then added his signature to...
Farming seems like a pretty simple process, right? Till the soil, plant seeds, nurture plants and, finally, it’s harvest time. If farming were that easy,...
For decades, Hollywood has shaped our view of agriculture through their storytelling lenses of what rural farm-living looks like. If you loved Eva Gabor and...
When it comes to golf course planning, a developer’s focus is location, location, location. For landscape architects and contractors creating a scenically manicured 18 hole...
The Wabash River snakes through a series of towns and cities that generations of Midwestern families have called home. Where it branches into the Salamonie...
Industry-wide, customers who rely on resin suppliers to manufacture pipe are facing challenges. After reasonably consistent and predictable markets in 2019 and 2020, the forecast...
Agriculture’s influence is global. Local and international growers and producers have a strong voice that sets the industry’s tone for the year. From career changes...
The UC 5XX is a marvel in corrugated pipe manufacturing. Compatible with the wide range of products Fratco offers our customers, this machine can pivot...
Within our global economy, proximity partnerships have always been an agribusiness mainstay. Remaining hyperlocal doesn’t apply just to restaurateurs seeking freshly-sourced ingredients for an authentic...
Ty Sparrow learned at a young age that when opportunity knocks to quickly open the door before the moment might pass him by. Ty, the...
Chad Nicholson could be defined by many outstanding numbers. Nineteen years with Fratco. Three regions served. One unfailing passion for helping customers. But working at...
Farmers feed the world. From sunrise to sunset, they care for the land, tend to animals, and work hard to maintain what they steward. Pressures...
When you consider the storied history of Bart Maxwell’s family, the slogan for his hometown of Crawfordsville, Indiana says it all: “Small City…Big Possibilities.” Forty-nine...
If you ask Jackie Sanchez what she loves most about working at Fratco, there is no hesitation in her response: “Things are different around here...
Fratco is pleased to announce our manufacturing capacity has reached new heights with the addition of a second Unicor UC 1800 corrugator to our production...
Francesville Plant
4385 S. 1450 W.
P.O. Box 368
Francesville, IN 47946
St. Anne Plant
499 S. Oak St.
St. Anne, IL 60964
© 2022 Fratco. All Rights Reserved.
Mt. Pleasant Plant
1600 W. Washington St.
Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641
Algona Plant
2502 E. Poplar St.
Algona, IA 50511
Westfield (Stateline Tile)
23942 IA Hwy 12
Westfield, IA 51062
Francesville Plant
4385 S. 1450 W.
P.O. Box 368
Francesville, IN 47946
St. Anne Plant
499 S. Oak St.
St. Anne, IL 60964
Mt. Pleasant Plant
1600 W. Washington St.
Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641
Algona Plant
2502 E. Poplar St.
Algona, IA 50511
Westfield (Stateline Tile)
23942 IA Hwy 12
Westfield, IA 51062
605-957-5050 (Jerry Weiland)
712-898-8351 (Devon Allaway)
Francesville Plant
4385 S. 1450 W.
P.O. Box 368
Francesville, IN 47946
St. Anne Plant
499 S. Oak St.
St. Anne, IL 60964
Mt. Pleasant Plant
1600 W. Washington St.
Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641
Algona Plant
2502 E. Poplar St.
Algona, IA 50511
Westfield (Stateline Tile)
23942 IA Hwy 12
Westfield, IA 51062
605-957-5050 (Jerry Weiland)
712-898-8351 (Devon Allaway)
© 2022 Fratco. All Rights Reserved.
Francesville Plant
4385 S. 1450 W.
P.O. Box 368
Francesville, IN 47946
St. Anne Plant
499 S. Oak St.
St. Anne, IL 60964
© 2022 Fratco. All Rights Reserved.
Mt. Pleasant Plant
1600 W. Washington St.
Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641
Algona Plant
2502 E. Poplar St.
Algona, IA 50511
Westfield (Stateline Tile)
23942 IA Hwy 12
Westfield, IA 51062