With the recent purchase of DJ Environmental, Tommy Steven and his brother, Zack, are hoping to breathe new life into the Lincoln-based industrial service company.“Our intention is to grow the business,” Tommy Steven said. “It’s been a good business, and we want to rejuvenate it.”
The Stevens own Reddi Industries, a Wichita business providing industrial pumping and plumbing services since their father started the company in the 1980s. Today, the business has expanded its services, offering heating and air, electrical, irrigation, lawn care and fencing. Most recently, Reddi added garage door maintenance and installation to its ample service menu.
The business owns companies in both the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, employing around 130 employees in Kansas and another 15 in Oklahoma.
Earlier this month, the brothers purchased the business from owner Jay Minear, who opened DJ Environmental in March 2000. The deal was finalized on Oct. 12.
“We’ve known Jay for several years,” Steven said. “We’ve worked on some jobs together, and have been friends for a long time. We were familiar with the business, and have been interested, but we couldn’t come to an agreement that made sense for the company until recently.”
Although Reddi already services much of Kansas, the newly acquired location provides better access to the north-central Kansas region, he said.
“It also gives us the flexibility to respond to areas that would’ve been cost-prohibitive before,” Steven said.
The acquisition also means the industrial vacuum truck service will be able to expand its service options for customers. Previously, DJ Environmental offered waste disposal, portable toilet rental, liquid waste management, emergency response for septic and grease trap issues, as well as dry and liquid industrial vacuum services.
Steven said they plan to continue using the name, DJ Environmental, for now, but anticipate eventually merging it with the Reddi brand.
Currently, the local business has four employees and could be adding a few more. Steven said the company has already considered hiring a few more employees, as the staff is reorganized.
“We’re always looking for CDL drivers because there’s not always a lot of those, and we’ll need some office staff at some point,” he said. “But a lot of that will be determined by the volume of business.”
Steven and his wife, Angie, are familiar with the area. Angie grew up nearby in Osborne, and her family has lived in Osborne County for more than a century.
Her parents, Shelley, and the late Robert Bloomer ran a law firm and auction business in Osborne for over 40 years. They also served as city attorneys for both Downs and Osborne. “Our families have grown up loving the area, as we are avid hunters, and are up there regularly to hunt and to visit family,” he said.
By Jennifer McDaniel, For the Lincoln Sentinel
