FREEBORN — For the past two years, Freeborn’s Pride Builders has been one of the top selling domestic dealers of Mathews Company products in the nation.

M-C is a leading manufacturer of grain processing equipment. Pride Builders has been a top seller of M-C products, out of 165 dealerships, nationwide in both 2009 and 2010. West of the Mississippi, it’s been the top seller.

“There’s a lot of dealerships selling to commercial operations with huge dollars,” said Laine Ladlie, co-owner of Pride Builders. “We stick to the farms and to the service.”

Focusing on local farms and service to local farmers is what’s allowed Pride Builders to grow and expand its operations over the past 20 years. It serves as a dealership for Brock Commercial Grain Bins and several smaller companies, as well.

Pride Builders also specializes in construction and erection of complete commercial and agricultural building projects. The metal buildings housing Agilis and Crossroads Trailer on the south side of Albert Lea, along with the Ace Auto building, are just a few of its projects. Currently, Pride Builders is constructing a Lester building for Palleton Pallets just south of the Albert Lea city limits.

“We like a challenge,” said Ladlie, adding they’ve helped construct everything from canning factories to dog food factories. “About the only thing we don’t build are houses and churches.”

Pride Builders is the evolution of what began as a hardware store back in the 1960s.

Ladlie took over ownership of the company with Tim Beyer and Steve Kalis about 20 years ago now. Ladlie grew up in Freeborn and Beyer in Bricelyn. Kalis was business partners with Ladlie’s dad.

Being from the area, they understand their customer’s wants and needs. They also understand the importance of reliable products and service and timeliness.

“We service what we sell and go out of our way to take care of customers,” said Ladlie. “During the fall, we run about 24/7 except for a few hours off on Sundays.”

Pride Builders services about a 70-mile radius of Freeborn.