GRADEMAKER, INC. : SCOTLAND, AR
STEVE L.

Grademaker, Inc. is a company of about 20 full-time employees making a name for itself in Scotland, Arkansas, roughly 75 miles north of Little Rock, with their ever-growing gas well reclamation operation. Steve Linkinogger, owner of Grademaker, Inc. laughed as he stated that the business is located “in the middle of nowhere” but their niche in the market has made for an extremely good and profitable business, with 4-5 man crews working 6 days a week, and pretty much all year-round.  He joked saying that his crew “doesn’t even have time for hunting.”   Grademaker is working their B70 and B260 Straw Blowers, and T170 and T330 HydroSeeders on jobs spanning 50 miles out from home base.

Steve couldn’t be happier for the success of Grademaker.  He mentioned, “We wouldn’t have the business we have without the Finn machines.  They are top of the line.  I watched all the brands and Finn held up the best.”   Steve started in the industry doing various reclamation projects in West Virginia and Maryland dating back to the 1980’s.  He had always been around and familiar with Finn machines, so when he moved from Maryland to Arkansas and decided to start doing some straw blowing work, Steve knew just the machines he needed for the job.  He started to pick up some hydroseeding work as well, and recently purchased his fourth Finn machine.   

Steve is a true believer not only in the Finn machines, but in the Hydroseeding Consumable Products as well.  He mentioned that he wasn’t satisfied with other brands, so once he discovered the Finn products he started stockpiling them in bulk.  He even noted that he may be building a place to store them soon.   Steve also mentioned that the Finn Parts Department was “very helpful.  (He) has no complaints.” 

Steve foresees Grademaker’s business and Finn purchases growing in the future.  His words of wisdom, to others thinking about getting into the industry or purchasing Finn equipment, is to stick with the Finn name because “they have more experience and started the business.  The copycats just don’t fill in all the holes.”  Although Steve mentioned that he personally has never owned a competitive machine, he has seen them work.  He simply believes that “Finn outperforms everything on the market.”  His philosophy is to let everyone else make the mistakes, but he is sticking with the leader.