By Gregg Wartgow, Special to AEM —

As a small-town manufacturer whose products are found on some big equipment in some really big industries, AEM member company Kondex Corp. has always seen the value in supporting those who support them. That is why association sponsorships have been a cornerstone of the company’s community outreach efforts for more than two decades.

Based in Lomira, Wis., population around 2,700, Kondex is a manufacturer of cutting and wear-resistant components for agriculture, construction, and turf equipment. Their products can be found on many of the biggest names in heavy equipment, including Case IH, John Deere, and Massey Ferguson in the agriculture industry.

Agriculture happens to be Kondex’s largest business segment. So, it’s no surprise that several of the company’s most enduring sponsorships are with farming-affiliated organizations.

The AEM Manufacturing Express, the largest public engagement in the association’s 130-year history, is proud to make a stop at Kondex on Friday, Oct. 11. For more information and to follow along with the tour, visit manufacturingexpress.org.

Concave Donation Helps Support FFA Fundraising

One of those organizations is the National FFA Organization, a student organization for youth interested in agriculture and leadership. FFA has evolved over time and is no longer just for kids interested in farming. The organization also promotes other industry-affiliated careers in chemistry, biology, veterinary medicine, engineering, and others.

Kondex has been supporting the Mayville FFA Alumni Association for more than 25 years by making an annual donation toward its student scholarship program. The City of Mayville is roughly 10 miles from Lomira, making the Mayville chapter a logical one to support. Additionally, Diane Riley, marketing manager at Kondex, said the company has periodically made monetary donations to other area FFA chapters over the years, as well.

A unique FFA sponsorship has been added to the mix in recent years. Kondex has been donating its KX7 concaves to the Wisconsin FFA Alumni & Supporters Association since 2020. The concaves are then auctioned off by the association. All proceeds stay with the association to help support its grant, scholarship, and leadership training efforts across the entire Wisconsin FFA network.

The auction is managed online and has drawn attention across multiple states. The 2021 winner was actually a grower from Indiana.

“That gentleman was actually passing through our area and stopped by our facility to pick up the concaves,” Riley said. “We asked how he’d even heard about the auction. He said he did an online search for our product and happened upon a website for the auction. So, he decided to make a bid.”

“We want people to hear about Kondex and see firsthand the types of products we’re manufacturing. That’s why we’ve always had a welcoming open-door policy toward bringing people in within the agriculture industry. It’s the biggest segment of our business and provides a lot of value to us and our customers. So, it’s important that we give back ourselves.” -- Kondex's Diane Riley

Part of the inner workings of a combine, concaves are one of two main components in threshing grain from plant material (the rotor being the other). The openings in the concaves allow grain to pass through to the cleaning sieves while the remaining material moves from the rotor to the rear of the machine where it's chopped and returned to the ground.

“Our concaves are among the more unique and higher-ticket items the Association auctions off,” said Andy Theisen, senior application engineer at Kondex. “It’s been good for the Association to have a single item that can generate a higher dollar amount. As a sponsor, it’s been important for us to help the Association generate the proper amount of funds so it can continue the work it’s doing.” Theisen himself is a member of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni & Supporters Association.

Kondex has typically donated a more traditional corn/soybean configuration for either a Case or John Deere combine, since most growers in the area use one of those two brands. Still, Riley said it’s important to make sure the winning bidder is set up for success with their new concaves.

“If the grower also grows wheat, for example, that would require some additional installations that are not part of the donation,” Riley said. “We like to discuss all of that with the winning bidder so they know what they are getting.”

“We want to make sure they have the right configuration and have the concaves installed correctly,” Theisen added. “We also want to make sure all of their questions are answered so they can get the best performance out of their new concaves for their particular needs. So, if at all possible, we’ll deliver it ourselves and help with the install.”

Kondex’s concave donations have helped distinguish the company as a Living to Serve Sponsor, a perennial sponsorship program of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni & Supporters Association that is vital to the organization’s overall fundraising efforts. Additionally, Kondex continues to support FFA in other ways, too. The company had a booth promoting Kondex careers at the 2023 state FFA convention. Kondex has also offered use of its facility for FFA Alumni Association meetings.

“We want people to hear about Kondex and see firsthand the types of products we’re manufacturing,” Riley said. “That’s why we’ve always had a welcoming open-door policy toward bringing people in within the agriculture industry. It’s the biggest segment of our business and provides a lot of value to us and our customers. So, it’s important that we give back ourselves.”

Engineering Professional Connections With College Students

Another organization Kondex has been supporting is the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). While FFA fosters connections with younger students in grades 5-12, ASABE is a professional-level organization that also serves as a conduit to college-age students via its Student Engineering Branches.

“We are involved with ASABE for many reasons, primarily because it’s an arm for standardization work that’s done around the types of products we manufacture,” Theisen explained. “Additionally, there are many events ASABE promotes to encourage college students to join the organization and prepare themselves for working in the industry. We’ve been a supporter of many of those initiatives for several years now.”

Perhaps the most intriguing event is the ASABE International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition. Kondex has been a periodic sponsor over the past several years, including this year. The company’s monetary donation helps support the annual competition, from the materials and components the student teams need, to the organizing of the event itself which typically takes place the weekend following Memorial Day in Peoria, Ill.

The competition happens at the school level. Each student team is provided with an engine and tires. From there they must design and build a mini tractor, which requires some fundraising of their own so they can procure the materials needed to bring their concept to life. Each tractor is evaluated based on several criteria, including durability, maneuverability, and how far it can pull. North Carolina State University won this year’s competition.

Along with Kondex’s monetary donation, Theisen has served various roles on the judging panel since 2013. Additionally, Kondex’s support of ASABE extends beyond the tractor competition. The company is also a sponsor of the annual Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference (AETC) held each February. Monetary donations from companies like Kondex help students from all over the country attend the conference by covering their registration fees.

“We always get a lot of thank you notes after the event,” Riley said. “We don’t even know who the students are until we meet them at the event itself. It’s always nice to see how responsible these students are, and how much they appreciate the opportunity to come to the conference.”

Riley and Theisen agree that it’s hard to say if Kondex’s sponsorships have directly led to the hiring of a new employee. But it’s clear that the sponsorships have helped broaden the network of people who know who Kondex is and what the company is all about.

Local outreach to the general public has also helped grow that network. Investing in manufacturing education in Lomira and surrounding communities is helping to solidify a stable workforce for the future.

“We’ve done tremendous work in helping get high school technical education departments up to speed on modern manufacturing practices,” Riley pointed out. “We’ve put in new equipment, lighting, and welders at some area high schools. This modernization is helping draw more young students to the manufacturing field again. That’s a good thing, so supporting our local schools has also been very important.”

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