I N N OVAT I O N S composite utility poles. Though composites constitute a small portion of the utility pole market now, it’s an area poised for tremendous future growth. Industry analysts expect significant growth — five to eight percent, compounded annually — in the coming years because of durability, lighter weight, and resilience in severe weather. The type of pole GEOTEK launched typically lines country roads and city streets to deliver power across the last few miles of the electric grid. The company hopes its poles will be used for all power distribution but initially they are likely to be used in high-strength applications or where grid hardening is required — in coastal areas, along major thoroughfares, or through wet regions where wood doesn’t play as well as composites.
New product, new building
STATE-OF-THE-ART STRUCTURE
Team Building A manufacturer, an architect, and a contractor worked together to create a modern manufacturing facility that can grow with the company.
T
hree years ago, Stewartville-based GEOTEK decided to launch a new product — a 55-foot composite utility pole — and it needed a massive new space to accommodate production. So, the company assembled a team including architectural firm Widseth and McGough Construction to tackle the project. Together the three developed plans for an expandable 105,000-square-foot facility that’s long on natural light, gives engineers a view of the manufacturing floor from their offices, and allows visiting customers to witness both production and testing from a conference room that overlooks the factory. GEOTEK broke ground on the
8
/ ENTERPRISE MINNESOTA SPRING 2026
structure in 2023, and the first poles rolled off the line in July 2025.
Same market, new product For decades, GEOTEK has produced composite products, including fiberglass crossarms for the electric utility industry. In 2022, the company acquired Alliance Composites, a long-time player in the composite light pole market. The acquisition helped GEOTEK expand its reach in the utility market and “got us into the manufacturing of poles,” says Ken McDonald, GEOTEK’s chief financial officer. That experience led the company to develop and launch the new line of
GEOTEK had never manufactured such a long pole, which presented challenges as it planned for the new building. “We wanted the largest spacing that was economically possible because we weren’t sure what the flow of the factory was going to look like to make a 55-foot pole,” McDonald says. “The open spans of 150’ x 300’ are unseen in most manufacturing spaces around here.” But company officials wanted to go beyond just making a big building. They also wanted to ensure maximum natural light for employees, allow engineers to overlook the factory floor, give potential customers a view of production and testing, and incorporate as much composite construction material as possible. The ideas for the building’s features came from all three players in the project: GEOTEK, Widseth, and McGough. Together they determined how the building would be positioned on the slightly sloping property, ultimately placing the production floor about 10 feet below the office level, which reduced the amount of dirt, fill, and leveling needed. The offices, primarily used by GEOTEK’s production management team, overlook the factory floor. “It feels open when you’re in those offices because you’re looking out into this large factory,” McDonald says. “The management team enjoys seeing and studying the flow of product and materials throughout the factory.” The new structure prioritizes natural light in both the factory and the offices. “You normally see offices along the outside walls, but our offices are on the inside,” McDonald