CROGHAN, New York (WWNY) – You could call the idea a “grand slam.” From humble beginnings in an owners’ basement, to a one-stop-shop for unique product, sold across the country.
Grand Slam in Croghan has put itself on the cutting edge of sports safety.
Bob Lyndaker is the CEO and co-founder of Grand Slam Safety, which runs out of an old mill in Croghan.
About a 15 years ago, the company started out making safety netting for baseball outfields. Since then it’s started making products for other sports, like softball, soccer, and lacrosse.
In the last few years, sales have really taken off.
“If you took 2020 as the starting point basically we have increased our sales approximately four times,” Lyndaker said.
Everything they make is done in house. From design, to manufacturing.
As the company has expanded, it’s gone from baseball fencing for local schools like Beaver River to sports teams across the country and at all levels. The expansion means it will bring more local jobs.
Elliot Martin is an engineer for Grand Slam. He grew up in Turin. He said what a better opportunity than to work close to home.
“It’s the perfect blend of job, passion, and all the things I wanted to work on,” he said.
Even some of the folks doing sales across the country are locals.
Lyndaker’s son, Sam, does sales out of Tennessee. He’s seen the growth of the company since it was just making prototypes.
“That was crazy. That system was made in the basement where I grew up, so it was made in the basement, put together in the basement and found its way out in the field,” Sam said.
Since then, the company has come a long way.
“The growth picture, I don’t know the limit. I used to not even think about it, but now I’m thinking what is the limit. I wouldn’t put a number to it, but it is quite possible we would double again in the next three or four years,” Lyndaker said.
The company continues to grow and try to fill unmet needs in the sports world.
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