Fastenal wasn’t always a global organization. We started as a 1,000 square-foot store in Winona with one employee and a few dozen boxes of fasteners.
To go from small-town store to Fortune 500 company, we focused on you, the customer. Many think our job was to sell bolts, but our real job was to listen and evolve. Those two simple steps paved the way for everything Fastenal did next.
All the products and better ways of managing them, all the control over the supply chain and technology that simplifies processes, everything stemmed from the idea of Growth Through Customer Service.
Owatonna has a special place in Fastenal’s history. In 1979, the city became home to the 11th Fastenal ever. And even more importantly, Will Oberton worked in Owatonna in the early ’80s. He would go on to become CEO and chairman of Fastenal.
Today, Ben Hayson oversees the Owatonna market, and Kody Ebner handles the local Fastenal. Between the main branch at 1065 26th Place NW and four Onsites throughout the community, 19 Fastenal employees work to keep area businesses running. Fastenal may not be a local hardware store, but it is a local team dedicated to helping local businesses.
In the end, the story is pretty simple: Fastenal is a Minnesota company with deep roots in Owatonna that has gone on to become a global industry leader.
Let’s Talk! If your organization could use supply chain help or a productivity boost from industrial vending, contact Kody and his team at MNOWA@stores.fastenal.com or 507-455-0731.
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