Houston's Flex Craft Celebrates 20 Years of Growth

When Doug and Terri Sparks met in a high school principal's office in 2006, they were just starting to dream about manufacturing. Twenty years later, their company Flex Craft is celebrating its anniversary and planning international expansion.

The Houston, Minnesota business manufactures modular building systems using one-inch square tubes that bolt together. Customers use them to create custom carts, workstations, and tracking systems for everything from factory floors to high school robotics competitions.

Co-General Manager Jake Sparks, son of the founders, said the family business has weathered every economic storm thrown its way. "There's been fires through supplier warehouses. There's been recessions. Everything that's happened economically over the last 10 to 12 years, it's just been incredible that we've weathered through those storms," he said.

The company's success story stands out during a challenging time for small businesses across Minnesota. Still, Flex Craft has maintained steady operations and continues serving customers nationwide and beyond.

The Ripple Effect

Flex Craft's impact extends far beyond its Houston location. The company partners with high school robotics teams, giving students hands-on experience with real manufacturing tools and systems. These young innovators use Flex Craft products to build competition spaces and learn practical engineering skills that will serve them throughout their careers.

The business also supports manufacturers worldwide by providing flexible, customizable solutions that help other companies work more efficiently. This ripple of innovation shows how one small town success story can touch industries and education across the globe.

Now the Sparks family is setting their sights even higher. Within the next two to five years, they plan to expand their facility and strengthen their global outreach. Their goal is to help manufacturers throughout the world access the same modular building solutions that have made them successful.

From a conversation in a principal's office to a thriving 20-year-old company with international ambitions, Flex Craft proves that small business success is built one bolt at a time.