News Releases

Wichita, Kansas, October 20, 2010 - Countertop Trends, a family-owned business located in Gridley, Kansas, reported positive results from an investment in new equipment with funds it received through StartUp Kansas. In October 2008 the company received a StartUp Kansas loan and grant, which were combined with a loan from Coffey County Economic Development. The funds allowed Countertop Trends to purchase an industrial grinder that saves the company $38,000 annually in waste disposal fees.
 
Countertop Trends (www.countertoptrends.com) makes custom post-form laminate countertops for manufacturers, distributors, and home centers located throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. By purchasing a grinder, the company diverts 550 tons of wood waste annually that would otherwise be destined for the landfill. A Missouri-based construction company picks up the wood dust and recycles it into composite deck material. During Pollution Prevention Week (Sept. 20-26, 2010), Countertop Trends received an honorable mention from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for its efforts in diverting wood waste from the landfill.
 
"If we didn't have access to the funding we received through StartUp Kansas and Coffey County Economic Development, we would not have been able to move ahead with the purchase and installation of the grinder," said Fred Goertzen, maintenance supervisor and engineer at Countertop Trends. "The economic downturn has affected our industry just as much as any other, so reducing operational costs was critical to keeping the business running without letting any of our 50 full-time employees go."
 
In addition to helping the company weather the recession, the project funneled nearly $90,000 to four different Kansas companies involved in the construction and installation of the grinder.