In 2002, Team Geoprobe celebrates the completion of Machine No. 1,000. Most all of the company’s machines are still assembled in this building in Kansas, the birthplace of Geoprobe Systems®.

Big Dreams... Small Company

Geoprobe Systems®, a small company that quietly eased its way into the environmental market 20 years ago, continues today to produce a valued product now sold throughout the U.S. and in over 30 countries. Because of its name recognition, it’s hard not to think that the Geoprobe® brand emerges from a sprawling manufacturing complex with thousands of people and lots of parking spaces. But don’t be fooled. This small company, with just over 100 people, still uses the modest quonset building that housed all of the company functions in 1987, and continues to focus on making the best products for their customers.

But just because the company is small doesn’t mean they can’t have big dreams! And dreams are what keep
the research and development teams on target. Every new idea is spurred on by feedback from their customers needing a better way to do something. And that’s what the company thrives on. According to Mel Kejr, Co-Founder of Geoprobe Systems®, “We’ve been fortunate to bring together a great group of people that wants to help customers be successful and deal with them openly and fairly.”

The first Geoprobe® 8M series shown at a National Ground Water Association show in Las Vegas in 1988. Unit Number 3 was originally purchased by Mathes Environmental, and under several company ownership changes, the machine permanently retired last year after 18 years of field service with Philip Environmental in Columbia, IL. Craig Maxenier, Senior Project Manager for Philip, used the 8M for most of its life and displays a piece of metal from the machine in his office!

“We’re not trying to sell snake oil,” Tom Christy, also a Co-Founder of Geoprobe Systems®, said. “We are focused on making the best products that will produce a profit for our customers.” And over the years, the company has been fortunate enough to attract a diverse team of people who don’t care who gets the credit as long as the right thing is done for the right reasons. Early on, the company also wanted to “close the loop”; to supply the customer with all of the elements they need to be successful. The result is numerous tool lines that include everything from the drive head at the top of the tool string to the expendable points and O-rings at the lead end.

Tom said in retrospect that it’s easy to look back and chide yourself for not recognizing the obvious need that the environmental market would have for our equipment. “But at that time, Mel and I really didn’t know if we could sell even one machine, let alone the first 10!” Now the number exceeds 1,500.

“There is no question,” Mel added, “that God has blessed our simple beginnings. Our goals were to do our best, to treat customers fairly, and to bring honor to God’s name.”

Both Mel and Tom agree that the Geoprobe® brand has changed the way business is done in the environmental Industry. But they also know that it’s not likely the industry would have stayed the same since the ‘80’s if the company had not come along. There would have been others to pick up the ball and run if Mel and Tom had not. However, Geoprobe® equipment has lowered the cost for industry and regulators to investigate subsurface contamination and cleanup. “Our products have helped reduce investigation costs and increase the quality of information that’s being collected,” Mel continued. And Tom added, “There are also some sub-segments of the remediation market that just would not be able to do business unless Geoprobe® had pioneered direct push technologies.”

This Geoprobe® 54LT is in Iraq augering for the U.S. Marine Corps and, according to a Marine Chief Warrant Officer, “has proved to be an incredible asset” to their unit. Another machine is on order.

The Geoprobe® brand is strong because of two specific reasons: (1) Great Customers, and (2) Great People throughout the organization. “Our brand is strong because a lot of people within the company work very hard to make it strong,” Tom said. Mel and Tom both also agree that the people who make up the Geoprobe® brand are what sets the company apart.

“It is humbling to reach 20 years,” Mel added, “and look around at our employees, vendors, and customers and realize what has been accomplished.” He concluded, “Life is full of opportunities. We need to remain vigilant to see them and agile enough to take advantage of them when the time is right.”

Growing a company is hard work. But with the right team and a never-ending supply of ideas, you’ll continue to see more Geoprobe® dreams during the coming years.

Aaron Christner (left) and Donnie Nelson, who work in machine assembly at Geoprobe Systems®, are just two of the people that make Team Geoprobe great!