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, is also located in the facility. The company also has operations in other parts of Kansas and several other states. They employ approximately 80 people.
The Rooks County Health Center is the largest employer in the county with nearly 150 employees.
In September of 2008, RCH moved into a new $19 million new facility located 1210 N. Washington in Plainville. 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. The facility recently completed its second major expansion.
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.
Rooks County is the 6th largest oil-producing county in the state of Kansas. Coffeyville Resources is the leading employer in the oil industry in the area.
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.
Two leading employers in agriculture-related businesses include Midland Marketing and Farm Implement & Supply.
Recreation is an important economic driver for Rooks County.
The county is home to Webster State Park & Lake, as well as smaller lakes in Rooks County State Lake and Plainville Township Lake. Webster State Park attracts visitors each year from all over the Midwest. The travel and tourism industry annually accounts for over $4.7 million in visitor spending in Rooks County.
