Iowa Farm Bureau's Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur of Month Award Honors LDJ Manufacturing
7/5/2012 12:28:44 PM
Heather Lilienthal

A love for farming and serving farmers has earned LDJ Manufacturing in Pella the Iowa Farm Bureau Renew Rural Iowa entrepreneur of the month award.

“We’ve always loved agriculture and it’s always been a part of our lives,” explained Loren Van Wyk, founder of the fuel and service trailer manufacturing business. “We’ve also always loved to build things and improve things to make farming a better way of life.”

After farming for a number of years in Marion County, Loren and his wife, Jean, started LDJ Manufacturing in 1995; building and selling trailers that could deliver fuel to farm equipment in the eld. But, after carefully listening to their customers, the Van Wyks enhanced their units to allow the trailers to deliver fuel and oer storage for generators, tools, welders and more.

“Every farmer has had a dream about having a shop in the eld,” said Luke Van Wyk, Loren’s son and LDJ general manager. “We knew we could improve our products and meet those needs in a nice, neat package.”

The company employs 61 people and is growing, bringing additional jobs and revenue to the area. The Van Wyks credit many partners with their success, including Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service. The company was nominated for the award by the Iowa Area Development Group and Pella Electric Cooperative, two businesses assisting with LDJ’s current expansion.

Mary Van Zante, a Pella-area farmer and Marion County Farm Bureau president, applauds the service LDJ Manufacturing provides to farmers and the jobs created for the county. “I believe that LDJ Manufacturing is the sort of company that any rural community would be happy to welcome,” she said.

Renew Rural Iowa (RRI) is an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation initiative supporting new and existing businesses through education, mentoring and nancial resources. To learn more, visit www.renewruraliowa.com.

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