When David Kurrasch began building K-CO Products in 2008, the company was in the process of discovering the "Made in America" ethos that would later define its brand. Kurrasch had found a promising product — a hose nozzle — which was made in Taiwan. The nozzle's unique design and market potential were undeniable. However, Kurrasch also recognized the significant advantages of manufacturing Made in America products, particularly regarding supply chain efficiency. With that in mind, he decided to import the nozzle, disassemble it, and look into manufacturing it on U.S. soil.

At the time, manufacturing in China or Taiwan didn’t make sense from a cash flow and working capital perspective. The process required paying half upfront and the other half upon shipment. By the time the product was assembled, packaged, and shipped to customers, K-CO was left floating the working capital investment for up to six months before seeing a return. Fast forward to today, and importing from China has led to a host of supply chain issues. Nearby, the port of Long Beach remains congested, with ships lined up waiting to unload goods from Asia. Kurrasch reflects, "They are a constant reminder of the bullet we dodged."

Kurrasch soon discovered that U.S. manufacturers had more advanced machinery and equipment, and at a lower cost than importing. The challenge, however, was finding reliable seasonal labor to assemble the nozzle with the consistency K-CO needed.

That’s when a family friend introduced him to the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program through the Veteran Administration. This program helps provide work opportunities to disabled U.S. veterans. In 2012, K-CO partnered with the VA’s CWT program. This collaboration allowed K-CO to keep their products price-competitive, while providing the seasonal assembly needed for their operations, particularly for their signature product, The Little Big Shot® nozzle.

Cheryl Iwata, Manager of the CWT Program at the VA, explains, "Our relationship with K-CO Products has benefited our Veterans by providing them with meaningful activities to participate in that allow them to work on a shared goal with their fellow Veterans. This relationship has improved their quality of life and provided a needed source of additional income.”

Almost a decade later, K-CO has had over 40 disabled veterans come through their program, some of whom have been with the company since the start. Over time, K-CO expanded its product line to include the Johnny Jolter® PRO Power Plunger and GLÜ™, an all-purpose, solvent-free adhesive. This growth has led to more work opportunities for disabled veterans, extending beyond seasonal positions.

Today, the "Made in America" and "Assembled by Disabled U.S. Veterans" labels distinguish K-CO’s products from competitors. Kurrasch shares, "As a family-owned and operated American company, it's our mission to economically support those in our family, community, state, and nation. That means supporting the American worker, the American entrepreneur, and the American consumer. While there's nothing wrong with supporting overseas suppliers and labor forces, supporting our own should always take priority. By manufacturing in the U.S., we’ve avoided many of the supply chain issues currently affecting retail inventories across various industries."

This article was originally published on MadeinUSA.com

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