In The Beginning...

Like most things, necessity is the mother of invention. While driving the truck and trailer through North Dakota late one night, Becky hit four deer. Dean needed to fix the grill, but was loathe to use steel because it was so heavy. He had a lot of experience welding aluminum, so he thought that might work. And that is how Dean came to weld his first aluminum bumper, Dean & Becky worked together to create their very own American Dream.

Prairie Industries began as a small, rural welding and repair shop in 2003. Ron Johnson did the mechanic work while Dean built customized steel flatbeds. Becky worked in Sturgis at Sturgis Vet and then came home to manage the shop office and help Dean with the horse- training business. Later on, we built our own shop on our ranch, which was 320 acres of no fences, bare buildings, and the three kids. That first bumper stayed on that pick-up until 2011, protecting that truck and the growing family in it from numerous deer collisions.

Those first years of any new company are tough, especially when you’re starting from nothing. Becky scoured web sites for unique businesses that would benefit from aluminum bumpers. She emailed photos, talked to local agriculture newspapers and magazines, carried brochures wherever she and Dean went, and mailed brochures across the United States. Her persistence paid off, and the orders started to come in. To date, some of the leading ambulance manufactures in the U.S. carry Truck Defender bumpers started with a mailed brochure over ten years ago.

Employees are the backbone of Prairie Industries and how we make Truck Defender. Manufacturing jobs aren’t common in rural America, but we work hard to make them a reality.

Keeping It Lean…

Lean manufacturing is a way of life here at Prairie Industries. Dean and Will, the shop foreman who started as Prairie Industries’ very first part-time employee and celebrated his 11th year with PI in 2015, have both earned bronze certification in Lean Manufacturing, and all new employees are sent to Lean 101 classes. We not just want but need our employees to embrace that philosophy. Every person is empowered to create the kind of company that makes them proud to let others know what they do and where they work.

Where We’re At Now…

Today, Dean is the president while Becky is accounts receivable, officer manager, and logistics manager. Dean also sits on the board of directors for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership under South Dakota Govenor Dennis Duggard. This board oversees South Dakota Manufacturing and Technology. He also attends peer meetings within the state to help spur manufacturing growth within the state.