Glendo is a Global Manufacturing Company That is Committed to Staying in Emporia

Glendo, the parent company of GRS® Tools, is relatively unknown in Emporia. However, it produces more than 700 stone setting and engraving products, which are used by major luxury jewelry brands worldwide. Glendo does business with more than 140 countries and brings students from around the world to Emporia, Kansas, to learn how to use its products.  

“If you walk down the street in Emporia, very few people know that we’re here and what we do,” says Christopher Correll, President at Glendo LLC. “We don’t have a local customer base, but we have an international presence.”

If you haven’t heard about Glendo, it’s worth learning about this company. It is a hidden gem, firmly set in Emporia’s local economy. 
Glendo Creates Engraving and Setting Tools for the Jewelry and Hand Engraving Industry 
If you can think of a luxury brand, GRS® probably has a working relationship with them. Its reputation in the jewelry industry speaks for itself, with each new product reflecting the quality of machinery and careful development that comes from its engineers and machinists.

“We are the biggest player in the industry because we are good at what we do,” says Correll. “We hold ourselves to a high standard.”

Glendo currently has around 55 employees in its Emporia facility. The company's focus is the GRS® Tools product line, designed for use in the hand engraving and stone setting markets. The company constantly develops innovative new tools for these markets but also offers other products to smaller markets (like the Accu-Finish® system for home shop machinists).

GRS® Brings Students Directly to Emporia for Training

Glendo is unique because it directly trains customers how to use its machines by bringing them to Emporia. Each year, more than 400 students visit from around the world and spend a week gaining experience with the engraving and setting tools. They can also tour the GRS® facility and learn how these machines are made.

“People consume jewelry but don’t really understand how it is set,” Correll. “They see engraving but don’t understand what the process is. We opened a training center to help people come here and learn, which ultimately helps sell the equipment, also..”

The training facility has a direct economic impact on Emporia. Each student stays in town for a week, contributing to hotel room bookings, restaurant orders, and other shopping costs. Correll says it might be more luxurious to hold the training in a city like Las Vegas or Miami, but he is proud of the Emporia facility and the local employees who develop Glendo’s products.

“Glendo brings hundreds of people to Emporia each year, but not many residents are aware of its impact,” says Jim Witt, Interim President at the Emporia Regional Development Association (RDA). “Not only do the GRS® students learn to use the tools more effectively, but they also get to see our corner of America.”  

Glendo Creates a WorkCulture That Fosters Employee Retention

Glendo is committed to staying an American manufacturing company that pulls from the local Emporia workforce. All of its products are made in Emporia with zero plans to move any operations offshore.

“Off-shoring is not something we believe in,” says Correll. “I would rather pay somebody a liveable wage right here to do their job.”  

Correll says his main focus is creating a place where people want to work, which supports both attraction and retention. Many of the machinists at Glendo have worked there for 15 to 20 years, which also makes them some of the most experienced and skilled professionals in their field.

Correll also says that he would rather train people directly instead of hiring people who aren’t a good culture fit for the company. “We would rather take people and mold them to what we want,” he says. “You can teach these skills to anybody who is committed to learning them.”

Glendo Also Supports Local Emporia Businesses 

Along with supporting the workforce by hiring locally and other businesses through its week-long training courses, Glendo contributes positively to the local manufacturing environment in Emporia. It has a contract manufacturing arm that can develop parts within a day or two.

When something breaks at one of the major companies in the area, Glendo jumps in to help. It can reverse-engineer a replacement part and develop it for that company. This means the company gets its part very quickly instead of waiting much longer for the manufacturing supplier to ship the item. Glendo also does this for companies surrounding Emporia throughout Kansas.

“Glendo is a great partner in the region,” says Witt. “Its team is always there to lend a hand when it can, highlighting how Emporia is stronger when we work together.”  

Explore Other Manufacturers in Emporia 

Emporia, Kansas, offers a wealth of companies like Glendo and passionate residents like Correll. Even if you have lived and worked in the region for decades, you might be unaware of all the exciting industries in Lyon County. Glendo is often overlooked in Emporia but is held in high regard in Zurich, Switzerland, and countless cities across the world. Imagine what other firms in this community might also be hidden gems.

Follow the Emporia RDA to learn about other companies that are thriving in this region. Learn about our efforts to bring additional manufacturing firms to Emporia. Success is engraved in Emporia’s future.