Meeting the challenge: three northwest Indiana companies thrive in a sluggish economy.

• Author: Richards, Rick A.
• Position: Focus - Recession-proof industries

In the midst of the difficult economy, some Indiana companies have managed to prosper and grow. Some succeed by being in relatively recession-proof industries, others gain by adjusting their focus to include more potential customers, still others make it by offering products especially appealing to customers during lean times. Following are three examples from northwest Indiana.

TONN & BLANK

Michigan City

Michigan City's Tonn & Blank Construction has managed to avoid recent economic swings by going after any job that comes along--regardless of its size.

"The unique thing about Tonn & Blank Construction," says CEO Jon Gilmore, "is that we're diverse. I hear that both inside and outside the company, and by that I mean we do industrial, commercial and health care projects."

When industrial work is down, Gilmore says the company will move to health care or commercial projects. "We're willing to do any job, from $100 to $100 million."

Tonn & Blank opened its doors in 1922. The company has 350 field employees and recently opened an office in Indianapolis. Last year, Gilmore says, the company did $100 million worth of business. "And, we have a record backlog."

"It helps, too, that we have our own design-and-build department," says Gilmore. "We have a very broad customer list we do work exclusively for. We hit things from so many different angles. We're able to adapt."

URSCHEL LABORATORIES

Valparaiso

It's much the same story at Urschel Laboratories in Valparaiso, where company treasurer Mike Seljan says being closely connected with the food industry helps the company avoid the ups and down of the economy. Urschel has been around since 1910 and manufactures industrial slicers, dicers and shredders. Its big customers are such food giants as Tyson, ConAgra, Frito-Lay and Dole.

And when the company isn't selling machines to those companies, it's selling replacement parts such as cutting blades and knives. "I think the one thing that probably helps us is that our product is used in the food industry, a non-cyclical business," says Seijan. "People need to eat whether it's a good economy or a bad economy. Our customers operate regardless."

Urschel's only factory is in Valparaiso and employs 245 people. They're busy making not only the giant food-processing machines but also the replacement parts to keep them going.

"Knives get dull, motors burn out and maybe a machine gets dinged up a bit and the company needs to replace some metal. That's what we...