RIBBON CUTTING…Bryan Mayor Carrie Schlade and Chamber of Commerce Director Dan Yahraus held the ribbon for the opening ceremony on November 5, 2020, for the new building which houses S&S Boring, ART and OBIC. The family gathered for photos, all smiles from left to right between the Mayor and Yahraus are Josh and Christie Kimpel, McKenna Kimpel, Brynn Schlachter, Lynn Schlachter, Tod Schlachter, Dustin Schlachter, Blake Schlachter, Liahm Kimpel, Melissa Schlachter holding Bodhi Schlachter and Fran Schlachter. Behind them is the designer wall that holds a replica of Dustin’s childhood bike and the logos of all three family companies. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
Thursday, November 5, 2020 was a big day for the Schlachter family, as Tod Schlacter and his son Dustin celebrated with friends, family and the Bryan Chamber of Commerce, the opening of their new home at 525 Winzeler Dr, Bryan, Ohio. Their three businesses used to be located on County Road 17, but are now fully housed with room for growth in their newly built 48,000 Sq. Foot building.
S&S Directional Boring, Ltd. which puts in underground water and sewer lines, was begun in 1999. Advanced Rehabilitation Technology (ART), began in 2007 and in 2015 was presented with the 2015 Ohio Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award.
ART is “an installer of spray-applied lining systems that protect and repair water and wastewater systems.” These first two businesses belong to father and son, Tod and Dustin Schlachter. In 2018, “OBIC, the third branch within the family-owned companies was established” by Dustin to “manufacture and distribute the polyurea and polyurethane products,” a chemical supply company for ART.
OBIC (meaning barrier in Latin) grew and spread quickly, becoming global with it’s first international shipment in the year it began. In 2019 they were used “to restore Cincinnati’s Union Terminal Fountain, a massive 5000 square foot “magical whispering fountain” which is a national landmark that debuted in 1933.” Another exciting moment for the companies happened this year when S&S and ART were awarded Large Business of the Year by the Bryan Chamber of Commerce.
On this Ribbon Cutting Day, November 5, 2020, the companies celebrated the move to town. Their three businesses take up half of the new building (24,000 sq. feet), leaving the other half “as an incubator for new businesses in the community.” Dustin stated how happy they all are with the move, and to be able to offer space to the community, not only for other businesses to be housed, but for the use of their upstairs Training/Event Room.
Three generations with a replica of the bike that was a foundational piece of Dustin Schlachter’s entrepreneurship. Grandma Fran, Dad Tod and Dustin posed together following the Ribbon Cutting held on November 5, 2020, at their new business building on Winzeler Dr. in Bryan, Ohio. The building houses S&S Directional Boring, Advanced Rehabilitation Technology and OBIC, the first two owned by Tod and Dustin Schlacter and the last started by Dustin in 2017. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
The Training Room holds plenty of tables and chairs able to seat fifty two, a 100” large viewing screen and comfortable space which is ready and 7available to rent for family or business events. A highlight in the Training Room is a full length wall designed by Kelly Goyings of Natural Design and Graphics out of Paulding. Goyings took the three company logos and tied them all together with a replica bicycle from Dustin’s beginning years of entrepreneurialism.
While sharing a few minutes with a small group following the Ribbon Cutting, Dustin shared that when he got started mowing yards as an 11 or 12 year old boy, his grampa built a little trailer that he could pull behind his bike, that carried his mower, gas can and weed eater. His parents got his first bike for him and now the replica of that bike hangs on the designer wall.
He remembers mowing his great grandma’s yard and that grew to three and then six and started him on his entrepreneurial ventures. He ended up buying a zero turn lawn mower and had his first employee when he was 15. “I had lots of years of practice and opportunities,” Dustin said.
Congratulations to the Schlachter family and all who have the joy of working in their company triad! May many more successful years be ahead of you.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com