‘Coolest Thing’ list includes pair of Adair-made items

For a town of about 800 residents, Adair continues to make an impact through its industry — and it’s continuing to receive recognition.

Adair recently had two items named to the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa list, an initiative by the Iowa Association of Business and Nicolet National Bank: Agri Drain’s Smart Drainage System and Ironclad Shelter Solutions LLC’s tornado shelters and gun safes fabricated at I-80 Enterprises.

The full list includes more than 50 items. While initial public voting closed Wednesday, April 15, both Adair companies said they were pleased their products made the list.

‘Keeping people safe’

For Jeremy Gettler, owner of I-80 Enterprises along with his business partner, Jeff Grant, making structures that double as shelters and gun safes is about keeping people safe when disaster strikes.

Ironclad Shelter Solutions LLC, based in Earlham and owned by Zane and Heather Diersen, partnered with I-80 Enterprises to fabricate its product in an effort to keep business local. Gettler had already been fabricating some shelters on his own and nominated Ironclad for the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa list.

“They wanted to do it local. They came over, we went over all the parts and pieces. I wanted to throw it out the back door because it was taking so much time, but with the help from Zane and Heather and the I-80 Enterprises team, we finally nailed it down, perfected it and started manufacturing it here,” Gettler said. “The storm shelter or safe house — like if there were an intruder — is where it started. Every guy wants a big gun safe, so we thought that [if we put the two things together] we’d get the guy and the girl thinking about the same thing.”

There are a wide array of options for the structures, Gettler said. Shelters range from very small units to larger ones businesses use to keep employees safe during storms. People who build “shouses” — shed houses — have also used Ironclad’s product, including installing shelters in shop bathrooms.

“It’s really great peace of mind, after seeing what happened in places like Greenfield and Minden,” Gettler said. “It’s not that I want to see it, but if our shelters were in a place like Greenfield and it’s the only thing standing for blocks and blocks, and people’s lives were saved, that’s a big deal.”

‘Innovating water management’

Agri Drain Corp. opened 50 years ago and continues working to be a pioneer in innovative water management systems for agriculture.

For more than two decades, Agri Drain has offered automated solutions for farmers to manage runoff in their fields. Its latest evolution of that product is what’s being recognized on the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa list.

According to the company, which employs about 40 people, the SDS 1000 Series is the latest version of the system, bringing more automation and ease of use to water management. The product features user-friendly controls and Bluetooth connectivity, designed to make setup and adjustments quick and simple.

“I think this is an innovative product that is needed in water management today. Making it all right here in Adair is really cool,” Agri Drain President Scott Lukan said.

Farmers can control their water table manually, but Agri Drain is the only company automating that process, Lukan said.

“With the amount of acres that farmers farm and the time it takes to do that, farmers having to go multiple times a year and change settings — in the large geography that farmers farm in, it’s unrealistic,” Lukan said. “Agri Drain has had this technology for quite some time and the SDS 1000 is our updated technology. It’s meant to make it more approachable and reliable for the farmer. We say that if you can set your thermostat at home, you’re capable of setting your water depth where you want it and different levels throughout the whole year.”

‘Proud of local impact’

Both companies said they were proud that Adair is home to two products on the list.

“Our people make everything happen here at Agri Drain. Every day they’re making quality products and servicing the people in this water management industry,” Lukan said. “Great products and great companies don’t just have to be in the metro areas of our country. We’re very proud of being in this community and the people who are here that make Agri Drain great.”

Gettler shared similar thoughts.

“This is pretty cool that this made the list,” he said. “There’s a lot of pretty cool things made in Iowa. The shop was always kind of a dream and we’ve done fabrication for other shops. That’s not as fun as building your own product and taking pride in it. Ironclad, they have a serious passion to make sure people are safe. That’s the main goal.”

A top 16 list is expected to be released this week, followed by a first round of voting. A top eight will then be announced, followed by a second round of voting. A final four will be announced in early May, with final voting taking place in the first half of May. The winner will be announced June 3 at the Taking Care of Business Conference.