Rooks County features a diversified economy; Here are some of our leading industries

Wilkens Manufacturing in Stockton manufactures walking floor trailers. The plant is located in the Stockton Industrial Park south of Stockton near the airport. The company has undergone one expansion and now includes the capability of trailer repair and rebuild. A division of Wilkens, Tarps-R-Us, recently expanded into the facility.  The company also includes operations in other parts of Kansas and several other states.  They employ over 70 people.

Dessin-Fournir, Classic Cloth, and Palmer Hargrave are rapidly expanding industries in Plainville specializing in upscale furniture, classic textiles, and light and lamp fixtures.   Other lines in the Dessin Fournir group of companies include Gerard, Kerry-Joyce, and Rose Cumming. Currently, the company has showrooms in cities throughout the United States, including Los Angeles and New York, and also in Canada. The company now employs nearly 80 people locally, and more around the country, and continues to expand. The Pineapple Post and C.S. Post Co. both retail products that can be bought online at www.cspost.com.  To read articles that have been written about this exciting company, visit the Latest News archives.

The Rooks County Health Center is the largest employer in the county with over 100 employees.  In September of 2008, RCHC moved into a new $19 million new facility located 1210 N. Washington.   The 59,000 sq. ft. facility is nearly triple the size of the previous hospital and is not only state-of-the-art in treatment capabilities, but has many amenities that are comparable to facilities in large urban areas.  Click here to read more about the recent dedication of the facility. 

Kysar Machine Products, Inc. of Palco, provides specialized manufacturing of prototype automated machines, single unit manufacturing, conveyor systems, and specialized tooling for materials handling.  The company recently became an integrator for Fanuc Robotics products that address lifting and ergonomic problems for its clients.

The Oil industry has made a comeback in the Rooks County area after driving the economy of the area from the 1950's through the 1970's.  While precise numbers are hard to determine, it is estimated that the oilfield directly employs several hundred people in the county. 

Of course, Agriculture continues to be one of the leading employers in Rooks County, just as it has been since settlers first made the High Plains their home.  The number of farms has decreased significantly over the years, while the size of the individual farms continues to increase.

For a complete business directory, click on the following links:

• Palco / Damar

• Plainville

• Stockton

Click here to read about new businesses in Rooks County.