Going the Distance
B. L. Duke Incorporated has left no stone unturned. What began as a one truck operation has transformed into an astoundingly capable industrial services enterprise—they specialize in recycling, demolition, heavy hauling, disposal, and more. “We have diversified into a Frankenstein of complementing divisions,” said B. L. Duke President Lou Plucinski. “We listened to the needs of our customers and jumped on every opportunity that made sense.” That flexibility is the clear key to success. Today they are Chicago-land’s leading industrial services company, with projects that span all the way from Canada to South America.
“Much of our equipment—like trucks, cranes, and material handling containers—are geared to be utilized in recycling, demolition, waste and general freight. And our employees are cross-trained to be shifted to wherever they’re needed,” said Plucinski. “The needs of a plant manager or purchasing agent can be diverse, and they love to consolidate vendors. In many cases, the reward for good work is more work.”
The Suit asked Plucinski how it all began. “Simple story, really,” he replied. “Saw a need, took out a loan for $50,000 and bought a truck.” And the more needs he saw, the more he responded. As B. L. Duke got into heavy hauling, for instance, they ended up moving lots of machines that created scrap metal—so they seized the opportunity to start reselling and brokering scrap. And once they gained more customers for the recycling side of the business, they expanded beyond metal into cardboard and plastic. In turn, those recycling clients turned to B. L. Duke for help with heavy shipments.
Green business is the next big thing, so you can bet that this company is already ahead of the game. “This is the most exciting area of growth,” said Plucinski. “The green movement is like a tsunami around the world. I compare it to the tech bubble of the 90s—staying ahead of it will be the key to success. Companies want to recycle. They just don’t know how. B. L. Duke can facilitate that.”
Plucinski credits his staff for facilitating the company’s rapid expansion. “Our rainmakers will identify opportunities and run them down. Then operations and administration will back up the promises,” he said.
It’s no surprise that B. L. Duke is getting some great returns, despite a recession-induced slowdown just a couple years ago. “We are on an aggressive growth path right now. Company-wide sales were up 38 percent in 2010, and we are looking at another 30 percent increase in 2011,” said Plucinski. “It has been an extremely rewarding ride for me personally. We’re doing a good thing for the environment and providing jobs in a tough economy.”
For more information, please visit: www.blduke.com
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