OUR HISTORY
The year was 1974, the time, Spring--April to be exact. It was the time of year when most living things sprout and begin their growth. It was also the time when Karl Stutterheim and Sam Sheppard began initiating the growth of a new company. While still working for another employer, the two got the idea to start a business that would be geared toward automating the control and power needs of different customers in various markets.

Named Kasa Industrial Controls by joining together the first two letters of their first names, Karl and Sam set up business at the site of an old casket vault factory located in Salina, Kansas. Utilizing a place once used to produce coffins as the birthplace of a business didn't seem to have any ill effect. First year sales totaled about $350,000, and three more workers were added. Two of these, Blaine Parker and Stan Walton, still work at Kasa today.

Despite its humble beginnings, Kasa grew and developed a reputation from making the best quality electrical control panels in the field. With this reputation, contracting jobs came easier. The business steadily increased in employee numbers as well as yearly sales.

Kasa was serious about establishing an enduring, stable, and profitable business. The year 1982 ended with a record sales total of 2.4 million dollars, with 40 employees. In 1983, Kasa added 4,500 square feet and began fabricating its own steel enclosures.

Due to the custom nature of their products, Kasa founded a subsidiary in 1988 called Kasa Fab, Inc., a custom metal fabrication shop. Although custom electrical enclosures is in part what Kasa Fab is known for, Kasa Fab fabricates a vast range of metal products, including lawn mower parts, custom truck/automotive parts, RV and transit bus parts, dust collectors and tractor/combine parts. Kasa Fab's 99,000 square foot manufacturing facility, fully equipped with overhead bridge cranes, and backed with ISO 9001 credentials, allows the freedom to provide first stage fabrication to complete turnkey product assembly.

In 1990, Kasa's sales reached another record high of 7.1 million dollars, and 17,000 square feet of additional space was added. Today, over 100 employees work at Kasa in 154, 000 square feet of production space with sales soaring over 20 million dollars, and because these employees want Kasa to keep growing, it will--just as it always has.