Work in Beloit

BELOIT IS A GREAT COMMUNITY TO LIVE AND WORK.

The Greater Beloit area is rich with education, recreation, leisure, and a strong professional community providing the opportunity for personal development to each and every member of its diverse population. With several major metropolitan areas a short distance away, residents can easily access big-city attractions and still come home to the charm and comfort of a small community.

Beloit has a robust and thriving economy. Just ask Andrew Janke, economic development director for the City of Beloit and the executive director of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. For the past 14 years, Janke has worked with companies located in Beloit looking to grow or expand, and outside companies looking for a new location to call home.

“It’s all about location, location, location,” says Janke. “We have the ideal location here with outstanding infrastructure with the confluence of three interstates – I-90, I-39 and I-43, as well as our proximity to raw materials and major population centers such as Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and the Twin Cities. We have a proud tradition of manufacturing and skilled workforce.”

Below we’ve featured some of Beloit’s top employers.

AccuLynx

When Rich Spanton, president of Mastercraft Exteriors, a national roofing company, had a problem with his software, he didn’t turn to another company for answers. He created his own software.

AccuLynx is the leading cloud-based business management software for specialty trade contractors. AccuLynx serves nearly 5,000 roofers, painters, drywallers, insulation installers, window/siding/gutter contractors, landscapers, electricians, HVAC businesses, concrete contractors and flooring installers across the country and Canada.

“If you are a sell it, build it, collect it contractor, this software was meant for you,” says Lynn Foster, director of operations. “It’s for someone who sells it, does the work and collects the payment.”

ABC Supply Inc.

ABC Supply’s bold white building is a focal point of Beloit riverfront landscape. With their location on a hill overlooking the riverfront, employees have sweeping views of the river and beautiful Riverside Park. ABC Supply Co., Inc. not only dominates the Beloit riverfront, but stands out in Beloit’s employment landscape. ABC Supply Co., Inc. is the largest wholesale distributor of roofing in the United States and one of the nation’s largest distributors of siding, windows and other select exterior building products. It is a nearly $5 billion company with more than 450 branches in 45 states and approximately 7,000 associates. The company has received eight consecutive Gallup Great Workplace Awards, which honors the most engaged and productive workforces in the world.

Kettle Brand

With close proximity to the rich potato farms of America’s heartland, Beloit was a natural choice for Kettle Brand’s second U.S. potato chip factory. The 140,000 square-foot plant opened in 2007 with 200 employees, earning the first Gold level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®). The Wisconsin facility was constructed with the goal of creating a great work environment for employees when it comes to physical space and indoor air quality.

“We set out to open a second plant to service the East Coast more sustainably, using less energy and resources than if we were to fulfill completely from our West Coast plant in Salem, Oregon,” says Denton Hatton, director of manufacturing. “What resulted was a plant that set a new standard for sustainable manufacturing in the U.S., from converting used cooking oil into biodiesel to wind power to nearing a zero-waste goal.”

North American Tool

When K.Y. Taylor and his son Roger opened North American Tool in 1986, Curt Lansbery served as one of the first members of the company’s board of directors. Two years later, Lansbery sold his Beloit funeral home business to join the Taylors fulltime. The decision to join the thriving company, he said, was a relatively easy one.

“I was impressed with the reputation of K.Y. Taylor and what he had accomplished,” said Lansbery, who rose through the ranks and became CEO in 2004 when Roger passed away. “I was in a small local business and wanted the opportunity for a broader experience on a more national level.”

Regal

Regal has long been known as a company where talented people want to work. They value a workplace where bureaucracy is discouraged, entrepreneurial thinking is fostered, and decision-making is streamlined by an “open-door” management style.

Regal is proud to say that their employees treat each other with mutual respect and dignity. The believe that no matter how large they grow, each employee can make a difference.

Regal is dedicated to community service, making a positive difference in the communities where they live and work.

The Ironworks Campus

One of the most popular landmarks in Beloit is the Ironworks campus, located on the banks of the Rock River in the heart of Beloit’s City Center. For nearly 150 years this site was home to the Beloit Corporation. Like many industries in the region, Beloit Corporation struggled and ultimately closed its doors in 1999.

But rather than let the property sit empty, Diane and the late Ken Hendricks had other ideas. In 2001 the Hendricks bought the property and began redevelopment of the campus. It was renamed the “Ironworks” to honor the center’s history, and renovation on the 750,000 square-foot property began in 2002. Former office buildings, foundry, and various manufacturing and storage areas were converted into attractive loft offices and manufacturing space.

“It was important for Ken and Diane to make that campus come alive again,” says Rob Gerbitz, president of Hendricks Commercial Properties, which owns and manages the property, along with others in 39 states. “It brings new jobs. A big part of this community is downtown and a major focus of downtown is the Ironworks campus. They saw this as an opportunity of how good business in downtown Beloit could be.”