After successfully launching the Batch & Build program, a story featured in the fall issue of Tried & True, a similar program is also taking off in Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio. This program named, “Turn-Key,” is the same practice being …

Drainage Solutions, Inc., a long-time partner of Fratco, is a remarkable drainage systems and solutions distribution company that has not only weathered the storms of time but also emerged stronger with each challenge.

Thanks to loyal customers like you, Fratco has experienced remarkable growth. We’re extremely thankful for your trust. However, new growth always brings new challenges. Rest assured, we’re tackling these head-on.

Out in the field, on a construction site or traveling between jobs, there’s nothing quite like a warm meal to fuel your day. Sometimes cold sandwiches or paying for fast food just doesn’t cut it. Remember the thermos of hot …

In the world of manufacturing, construction and innovation, the importance of standards cannot be overstated. Especially here at Fratco, where we hold ourselves and our products to high standards of reliability and endurance. Standards are the invisible threads that bind …

In the world of construction and contracting, salesmanship isn’t just about moving products or winning projects; it’s about building trust, offering real value and forging lasting relationships.

The toil of the trade in winter climates can often lead to one pesky issue: dry hands. Whether you’re handling drainage pipe or shaking hands with a customer, maintaining healthy hands is the best way to keep up with any …

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 quality and sustainability increase, it becomes crucial to find innovative solutions for responsible water …

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 scoop on how they partner with Fratco in Illinois to bring the best quality products …

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 there's drainage, there are dangers. Buckle up for a gritty dive into the challenges and …

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.  He assumed he would feel like an outlier, like previous jobs he had, but little …

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 in the plastic pipe industry, but according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), 71% …

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 wasn’t long before David’s son, Paul, got involved and eventually took over at the helm. …

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 that are involved in the drainage industry such as, plastic pipe manufacturers, companies that make …

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 Weiland: a Fratco sales rep of two years serving customers across the country from North …

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 like Fratco pipe. Let’s take a closer look at how the system of global supply …

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 also run family-owned businesses have taught them even more. Here are a few pointers for …

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 forward every day. We also realize that our more recent accomplishments were only possible thanks …

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 Fratco's expansion to Iowa, and remains a respected figure in his community. Known for his …

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 ever-growing group. They’re bound together not by blood or creed but by a dedication to …

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 town where the original facility still resides. For the duration of Steve’s near 30-year tenure, …

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 example, can boast that their CEO is the fourth generation of family ownership. Nor do …

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 exception to that custom. After six months working on the line, he’s recently graduated to …

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 forward every day. We also realize that our more recent accomplishments were only possible thanks …

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 industries beyond food production.

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 a town that only boasts a few hundred residents—367, to be exact, according to the …

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 water management practices first begin? Who gets the credit for developing this essential technology? And …

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 plant in manufacturing, moved on to assisting with dispatch in the yard, then became an …

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 also grew up watching his father, Paul, do the same. Two of Rudy’s brothers, Bob …

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 Gothic: weathered-looking people with pitchforks turning over bales of hay on their dusty old farms. …