It wasn’t that long ago that installing drainage pipe meant reading topography by eye, relying on instinct and hoping your laser level held steady in the wind. However, over the last two decades, GPS has revolutionized how pipes are installed …

Success on the job site doesn’t just come down to grit—it also comes down to what you bring with you. The right gear, packed with a little thought, can mean the difference between a smooth day and one full of …

All season long, there’s a list of things that get pushed aside—dull blades, worn-out gloves, busted tail lights. Winter is the time to catch up. Maintaining gear, organizing tools and fixing what’s broken now sets you up for a smoother …

At a glance, winter seems like a time when the land rests. Fields sit idle, machines are parked and the ground freezes over. But beneath the surface, winter is anything but still. Frost lines shift. Water finds new paths. Soils …

In the southeastern corner of Iowa, Mount Pleasant is a community built on hard work, shared values and steady growth. For Fratco, operating a plant in this city has meant becoming part of a place where industry, agriculture and community …

For Janell Odom, joining Fratco was more than a career move—it was a homecoming. A native of the Francesville area and graduate of West Central High School, Janell returned to her roots after building a career in quality and manufacturing …

There’s a moment between having an idea and taking action—and in that space, a lot can get lost. We hesitate. We overthink. We wait for the timing to be perfect, for the conditions to be just right.

Nestled in the fertile ground of Union Grove, Wisconsin, George’s Grading and Son LLC has earned a reputation for quality through hands-on work and a no-shortcuts approach. Founded by George Karczewski, a lifelong farmer and excavator, and now run alongside his …

Most drainage systems are buried and forgotten until they fail. That’s why engineers, municipalities and developers are designing infrastructure today with one big question in mind: will it last?

Recent tariff developments—like the actions announced in March targeting steel, aluminum and certain Chinese-made goods—have added another layer to an already unpredictable global trade environment.

As many of you know, when it comes to drainage, a lot of attention goes to the plastic. Size, strength, flexibility—those are often the features that get discussed at the jobsite. However, what also matters is what happens inside the …

In a small town in southern Michigan, a business built on steel, sparks and sheer determination has become a vital link in the chain of American manufacturing. Michigan Tool Works and its sister company, Michigan Plastics Works, are more than …

If you’ve worked with Fratco’s sales team over the past decade, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Craig Thompson. While he’s not pounding the pavement visiting job sites these days, his contributions are still an important part of …

It’s easy to think of the future as some distant horizon, maybe something we’ll worry about when we get there. But Gandhi flips that idea on its head. The future isn’t just ahead of us. It’s being built right now, …

Success on the job site doesn’t just come down to grit—it also comes down to what you bring with you. The right gear, packed with a little thought, can mean the difference between a smooth day and one full of …

On any job site, conditions can shift without warning. One second you're laying pipe, the next someone's backing up too close or the weather starts turning. The crews that stay safe and efficient have one thing in common—they pay attention.

Some of the most successful companies are born from opportunity. Others are born from determination in the face of life’s challenges. Johns Brothers is both.

The town of Fort Payne might not have been on many people’s radar. It wasn’t on Fratco’s either—at first. “We were actually looking at somewhere adjacent to our current manufacturing footprint,” recalls Bill Champion, Fratco’s COO. “But the South had …

In 1952, Alfred “Pete” Schlatter opened the doors of a modest welding shop in Francesville, Indiana. Just a stone’s throw from the fire station, this small-town machine shop wasn’t built on big dreams of corporate success—but on a desire to …

In a corner of northwest Missouri—where four miles west puts you in Nebraska, a short drive north lands you in Iowa and Kansas lies just to the southwest—Liles Enterprises stands as a testament to the kind of quiet resilience and …

When most people think about field drainage, they picture one thing: getting water off the land so crops don’t drown. Simple enough, right?

When the sun’s beating down, things on the worksite can get more than just uncomfortable—they can get downright dangerous. Heatstroke, dehydration and heat exhaustion are no joke. So here are the best ways to keep cool and beat the heat …

Working out in the field isn’t exactly like a boardroom meeting, and that’s part of the charm of getting to work out there. The language is straight to the point, the jokes fly fast and everyone appreciates honesty. But when …

Addy plays a key role in making Fratco’s operations more efficient, reliable and innovative. “My job is very hands-on,” Addy explains. “It involves solving problems with machines, quality and processes—making things work better, safer and smarter.”

There’s a certain comfort in staying where it’s safe. In a harbor, a ship is protected—tied off, anchored and still. But that’s not its purpose. A ship was built for the wide-open sea­—for risk, movement and a mission.

The 2025 North American Conservation & Drainage Expo (NACADE) in Indianapolis, Indiana, brought together industry leaders, researchers and professionals to discuss the latest advancements in water management. This was the second biennial event, founded by Jason and Justin Brown, brothers …

Out in the wild, nature’s not just a nice view—it’s the ultimate teacher of hard, honest lessons. For those of us who spend our days working under the open sky, nature’s got some straightforward advice on living simpler and stronger. …

Being a leader goes beyond wearing a suit and tie and walking around with a clipboard. True leadership comes down to traits, habits and practices that motivate others to follow your lead—often without a single command.

The Transforming Drainage Project, an initiative from 2015 to 2021, has left an revolutionary mark on agricultural drainage practices across the Midwest. This groundbreaking endeavor, driven by a multidisciplinary team of experts and supported by the USDA National Institute of …

The world of water management is continuously evolving, with materials like high-density polypropylene (HDPP) expanding the role of plastic pipe in demanding applications. Rather than replacing high-density polyethylene (HDPE), HDPP offers a solution for situations where HDPE may not be …