Balco, Inc.
Proudly located in Wichita, Kansas, USA
Balco is a leading manufacturer of high-performance construction products in the categories of expansion joint systems, fire barriers, stair nosings, mats & grids, trench & access covers, acoustical joints & partition closures, photoluminescent egress systems, and firestopping. These products are specified by architects, engineers and contractors for commercial buildings worldwide.
Established in 1957, steady growth over the years has been maintained through a commitment to providing high quality products and customer services that include customization, turnkey design and education/certification programs. Balco has an ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System, with its own in-house UL test and research laboratory. Balco is a member of AIA, FCIA, and Sphere1. Balco is also a listed manufacturer on MasterSpec/SpecPoint, RIB SpecLink, and BIMobject. Balco is a company of CSW Industrials Inc.
1957
Claude Balzer founded the company in downtown Wichita with the purpose of supplying architectural products to the commercial building industry. The primary product manufactured at that time was expansion joint covers. Later, entrance mats, trench covers, and stair nosing products were added to the Balco line. Balco, Inc. was officially incorporated in 1959.
1978
A new manufacturing plant was built in South Wichita, which has been home to the company’s headquarters and leading manufacturing ever since.
1983
Balco plastic wall protection product line was added, and a new, dedicated plastics extrusion plant was built.
1985
Mr. Balzer retired and sold the company to the Sterling Group, which sold to Capital Southwest in 1989. Balco became a private equity portfolio company of Capital Southwest.
1992
Balco acquired Metalines, an Oklahoma City corporation. Metalines manufactured expansion joint covers with a niche in the California market providing large seismic joint assemblies and robust fire barriers that accommodated California’s precise building codes.
2004
Balco acquired the exterior and parking Expansion Joint Cover line of Mercedes International, LLC of Atlanta, GA, growing Balco’s reach within the waterproof expansion joint cover industry for open-air venues.
2005
Balco expanded the Wichita campus by purchasing adjacent property and buildings. Within the additional space, we innovated and launched the production of a product line called IllumiTread,™ photoluminescent safety egress markings and way-finding signage.
2007
Balco sold the assets of our wall protection product line to Tepromarc International of Evanston, IL. We retained our plastics plant to support the numerous plastic items included in our product lines.
2013
Balco acquired the Michael Rizza™ Company, which produced a premium line of extruded silicone expansion joint cover systems. In that same year, Ronnie Leonard, CEO of Balco, is named among the Women of the Year by the Wichita Chamber of Commerce.
2014
Balco receives numerous awards for outstanding business contributions to the Kansas, Oklahoma and national economies. Our impressive growth, innovative spirit, and top notch technical services, even through the Great Recession, were demonstrated and recognized in both domestic and international markets.
2015
Capital Southwest Corporation forms Capital Southwest Industrials, a separate publicly traded company (NASDAQ:CSWI), of which six companies become affiliates, including Balco.
2017
Balco consolidated campuses, bringing all personnel and production to Wichita, Kansas, and closing the Oklahoma campus, creating one, efficient location for all services.
2021
Balco becomes Master Distributor for Metacaulk® firestopping solutions (by RectorSeal), the comprehensive line of advanced products for every field condition of construction joints and through-penetrations.