Jun. 14—GRAND FORKS — From a small local business focused on specialty doors to a worldwide seller of safety and flood barrier products, Grand Forks-based PS Industries has grown since it first opened in 1974.

The progress made by the company and its founder, Jim Satrom, was celebrated with a 50th anniversary open house on Thursday, June 13.

Satrom noted a few original employees were able to make it to the event. He said he was glad they were able to see how far the company has come.

"It's exciting," he said. "It's just fun because they get to see how much it's changed. They built the foundation years ago. It's always been a team effort."

PS Industries is a manufacturer that focuses on four divisions: access solutions, safety access, flood barriers and public protection. Some of its products include industrial doors, safety/fall-protection products, flood barriers and more. It sells its products worldwide, in each continent except Antarctica, President Cory Melland said, working with customers like Xcel Energy, NASA and the United Nations. All products are designed, fabricated and engineered in Grand Forks. The company's manufacturing facility is 180,000 square feet.

The company has approximately 105 employees.

Satrom said that some people have been surprised PS Industries isn't in a big city.

"'What are you doing in Grand Forks, North Dakota? ... Why aren't you in Chicago or somewhere else in a big city?'" Satrom quoted. "Well, we're right in the middle of North America. It's got its challenges, but it's a good place."

The company was started in Grand Forks, too. It was established in 1974 as Production Specialties Corporation, a specialty subcontractor in the construction industry specializing in residential, commercial and industrial garage doors, Melland said. In the late 1970s or early '80s it was rebranded to PS Doors to better represent its products. As its line of products expanded to more safety and flood-barrier focused items, the name split between PS Manufacturing and PS Doors. In 2018, Satrom sold the door business to the general manager at the time, making it its own business. The company then rebranded to PS Industries, encompassing the four sectors of products it now sells.

The last 20 years have seen significant growth for the company, Melland said. He has seen the progress firsthand since he started at the company in 1994 as a part-time marketing coordinator. That growth will continue with Dan and Grant Satrom, Jim Satrom's sons, having taken over as owners.