Chester Inc. carries over 70 years of history in the Region—60 years serving farmers with their leading-edge agricultural systems, decades of working with entrepreneurs to help shape the Northwest Indiana landscape with their architectural and construction services. It is a multifaceted, family-run business, with a long history of exploring all kinds of avenues to meet the needs of people all around the Region.
“We try to treat our customers like family, our goal is to build our community,” said Charles “Chuck" Wilk, Chester’s marketing & business development manager. “We want to grow our family and this area. That’s how we do business. We listen to customer’s concerns and address all of their needs in the best way that works for them to save time and money while creating a fantastic end product.”
Chester’s business is currently broken into two divisions, with its Architectural and Construction division being the most visible. If you live or work in the Region, odds are that you have driven by a construction project with a Chester Inc. sign posted in front of it. The company takes a unique, client-focused approach to construction called design-build. Everything from architecture, contracting, permits and approvals, and financing are handled in-house.
“From that initial meeting with our clients, we’re there exploring their needs,” Wilk said. “Maybe you’re moving to a new building, maybe you’re a brand new startup—whatever it is, it’s your vision. We’re working with clients every step of the way, a partner throughout the whole process. It’s a one stop shop; they don’t need to make calls to different subcontractors or financers to change things.”
It provides clients with a simple solution—one contract, and one point of responsibility. This leads to a streamlined process, where the client has more control over how their vision comes to life. If they want something changed, or come up with a new idea, they do not need to contact multiple contractors or designers—they simply need to call Chester.
“You might effectively communicate your vision to one person, but maybe another person you’re working with understands it differently even if you explain it the same way,” he said. “When you’re working with Chester, the waters are less muddy. We are that one point of contact, so communication is much more efficient and effective. It fosters more creative ideas, where we’re working with clients to bounce ideas around and find innovative solutions.”
Wilk pointed to Chester’s recent work with Burke’s Outdoor Equipment to illustrate the process in action. The business, which sells lawn and garden equipment such as riding mowers, operated for years out of an older, compact building off of U.S. 30. The design made it difficult for the retailer to showcase its products, so the retailer consulted closely with Chester to craft a design that was both eye-catching and practical.
“If you look at the building now, aside from its beautiful red façade it’s almost all glass on its lower half.” Wilk said. “That’s a look that came out of the design/build process. We worked with them to create it so that people could see their products from the road.”
The design-build approach works no matter the industry, over their history Chester has built veterinary offices, luxury condominiums, optometrist offices, churches, and more.
“Our team’s skills and knowledge are growing because of the variety of buildings we’re working on,” he said. “When clients come to us and ask, ‘Have you done this before?’ most of the time we can say, ‘Yeah, we have.’ We’ve kept ourselves ready to take on all kinds of challenges. When we do get a job we haven’t done, we can pull all of that knowledge together to make that challenge less daunting.”
Chester Inc.’s second group is its Agricultural Systems division, which deals with providing farmers across Northern Indiana irrigation and grain handling solutions.
“We sell superior agricultural products, whether that’s Valley center pivots, Brock grain bins, or Mathews grain dryers,” he said. “Outside of that, something that’s just as valuable is being a local vendor for our farmers.”
The Ag systems’ team works closely with clients rather than simply selling and moving on, it handles calls whenever farmers need help or to have a problem solved.
“When they have an issue, whether that’s a repair, needing carts, or getting another grain bin installed, they know they can call us and they’ll be talking to someone they’ve already met,” he said. “It’s not like having to call a huge vendor, where you’d go through an automated message system. We have a relationship with our farmers and take a real interest in their concerns.”
Chester has worked to maintain its relationships with the Region’s farmers for decades, providing years of consistent, quality service spanning generations.
“We build that relationship with our farmers over years,” he said. “This is something we don’t just start, we maintain it with superior service and products. When it’s time to pass the farm on to the next generation, there won’t be a question of ‘Should we stick with Chester?’ because we’ve been right there with them over the years.”
To learn more about Chester Inc., visit www.chesterinc.com.