SIDNEY — Lochard Inc. continued its pattern of growth in 2018 throughout all divisions. Lochard Inc. is a third-generation family owned company consisting of a contract manufacturing division, an HVAC and plumbing division and retail Do It Best Hardware store that has been serving Shelby and surrounding counties for almost 75 years. Third generation owner Mike Lochard is proud to lead his family’s 70 plus year old company.

“We are making substantial investments to secure the company’s future and I am very encouraged with the direction the company is heading,” said Lochard

The Lochard Inc. sheet metal fabrication division continued to see an increase in annual sales in 2018. Lochard Inc. started work on a renewable energy project with a company based in New York, New York in 2018. This company builds and installs solar carports at commercial locations in urban areas. We have worked closely with them to both engineer and produce the component parts for these carports.

“The capital improvements we have made in the last few years have allowed us to grow into new and exciting areas that we had never had the opportunity to pursue before,” said Jeff Mann, operations manager.

The Lochard HVAC and Plumbing service and installation departments continued to experience growth this past year as well. 2018 was a year spent focusing on technician development. With the addition of a training and development manager we were able to create opportunities of growth and development for our existing technicians as well as onboarding new technicians.

“By creating a more extensive training program and giving our technicians more resources for growth; we have created the opportunity to provide our customers with the best experience possible when it comes to their home service needs,” said Doug Myers, service manager.

The installation side of the HVAC business has recorded three consecutive years of record sales.

“The last couple of years we have seen incredible growth in our division. Due to this growth, we had the opportunity to bring in new talent,” said Brian Marlow, HVAC install sales manager for the past 12 years. “We have continued to partner with the local JVS and have been fortunate to welcome some of their students to our team.”

“We give each customer a personalized experience within our store which helps us develop rapport,” said Deb Peters, hardware manager.

Lochard Inc.’s Do It Best hardware store has continued to expand their product line incorporating feedback from customers. We understand that we have to compete with the big box retailers in town so what we try to sell most is our knowledge and service. The larger retailers may have a more extensive selection, but they cannot have the support and experience that a 70-year-old family owned hardware store can provide.

Always an advocate for the community and Shelby County, Mike Lochard served as president of the Shelby County United Way in 2018. He feels that the diversified manufacturing base located in Shelby County will be the driving force in sustaining a strong economic base for the community and he is proud that Lochard Inc. is part of it.