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In nearly 50 years, Wako Inc. has grown into a manufacturer and supplier for farmers across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
President Wayne Bland said the company is a full-service farm and ranch store as well as a quality manufacturing facility.
The company began in Wakita, moving to Enid 25 years ago. It celebrates 50 years in November. The name takes the first three letters from its hometown and the O from Oklahoma, Bland said.
“We build harrows and sprayers, lots of different types of big tool bars to apply fertilizer,” he said. “We’ve been developing equipment for the newer technology in agriculture now.
“We have a large range of designs to accommodate the different requirements in the farm industry.”
Throughout its 50 years, Wako has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of fertilizer knives anywhere. Bland said the company focuses on the use of anhydrous ammonia in farming.
“Anhydrous is a fairly small niche in the agricultural industry, and we’ve focused on that for many years,” he said. “Anhydrous is the cheapest form of fertilizer and is the main product needed to raise crops.”
Wako Inc. produces several lines of tool bars, sprayers, harrow and flex harrows and makes thousands of parts and products for end consumers.
“It’s unusual to see a manufacturer sell to the end consumer, but we’ve been doing that since the ’60s,” Bland said. “Whatever the customers want for their requirements we’ll produce. The needs of the industry change, and we try to develop a product for the farmer that makes him more efficient.”
Wako Inc., 5606 N. U.S. 81, has a 12,000-square-foot retail space and shops for its welders, CNC cutting machines, lathe, mill and metal forge.
“A lot of people don’t even know all of this is back here,” Bland said.
Some of the company’s 45 employees produce the thousands of parts for the company’s lines.
Bland said the move from Wakita to Enid helped the company grow.
“We didn’t realize how good a location Enid was,” he said, “until we moved here.”
Wako also produces a 100-page catalog, which is sent to farmers who work 1,000 acres or more. Larger farm size means farmers’ needs have changed.
“It’s gotten a lot bigger,” Bland said of farm sizes. “Less people are farming, and they’re needing bigger equipment. It allows them to farm more acres with less work.”
Agriculture as an industry has an impact on everyone.
“Agriculture is extremely important to our area,” Bland said. “Whatever happens to farming eventually trickles down to everyone else.”
He said most farmers invest millions of dollars in equipment and land.
“Whatever affects them is going to affect everyone in the communities around there,” Bland said. “There’s a lot of commerce in the agriculture industry.”
Agriculture and Energy 2011
Related Photos
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In nearly 50 years, Wako Inc. has grown into a manufacturer and supplier for farmers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Pictured are Sean Hobbs using a machine to create holes in heated steel. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)
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In nearly 50 years, Wako Inc. has grown into a manufacturer and supplier for farmers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Pictured are employees assembling agricultural equipment. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)
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In nearly 50 years, Wako Inc. has grown into a manufacturer and supplier for farmers across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Pictured are manufactured parts for Wako’s agricultural machinery. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)
Discussion
Trickle-down theory has translated into years of business for Wako Inc.
- Agriculture and Energy 2011
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Agriculture and Energy 2011
One of the attributes of living in Enid and Northwest Oklahoma is the abundant pride residents have in its people, land and businesses. The 2011 News & Eagle Progress edition highlights these areas and pays tribute to all of those who make our region shine 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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Seeking credit
Wind energy developers are hoping the moratorium is lifted this coming fiscal year, which begins in July.
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Energy supply that blows on trees
In 2009, Autry installed a wind turbine on its campus not only to provide wind energy to the facility but to offer an educational tool for students looking to go into the wind energy field or who just want to learn more about wind energy.
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‘It was lightning in a bottle’
“Our No. 1 asset is our employees." — Joe Griffin, president and chief executive officer of Hiland Partners
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Pressure on Hiland, others to fill shoes of Continental Resources’
While announcing Continental Resources is moving to Oklahoma City last week, Hamm told the News & Eagle he sees some of his other companies in the same position for growth Continental witnessed about five years ago.
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This is not a drill
Local city officials are bracing for the challenges the company’s move poses to economic development efforts.
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An endless supply of energy ...
Ward Petroleum is drilling horizontal wells and using fracturing technology to get further production from wells in Oklahoma.
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President of ONG has a past in Enid
“I was working for our company for just over a year, I began in 1986 and in the summer of 1987 they asked me to move to Enid for a while and work in our district office out there.” — Greg Phillips, Oklahoma Natural Gas president
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Home of the brave, free ... market
With the public crying for cheaper gasoline, Terry said whatever can be done to increase production should be considered.
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Trickle-down theory has translated into years of business for Wako Inc.
The company began in Wakita, moving to Enid 25 years ago. It celebrates 50 years in November. The name takes the first three letters from its hometown and the O from Oklahoma, Bland said.
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