About Frick Services


 

Serving Clients Since 1918

Frick Services in Wawaka, Indiana has been serving the needs of Agribusiness since 1918, when Grandfather Harry Frick opened a feed store and coal yard along the New York Central railroad tracks in Wawaka.  Harry Frick remained active in the business until his death in 1967.  Merrill, the youngest son in a family of six children, joined Frick Services upon graduation from Wawaka High School in 1948 and has been with the company as President for 42 years.  His  Son , Daniel  joined Frick Services fresh from Purdue University in 1974 and is now the Chief Operating Officer.

Throughout the 1950's and 60's , the company expanded into the sales of fertilizers to area farmers.Frick Services was a pioneer in the marketing of liquid fertilizer, first introducing liquid nitrogen to growers and then adding liquid suspension and liquid starters to the company's product line. 

Also during this period, a trucking division was formed which provided common carrier trucking services to other fertilizer dealers. 

Beginning in the 1970's and continuing through the 1980's,the company expanded in Wawaka as retail agronomy and grain facilities were purchased;   Larwill in  86', Wyatt in  88' and Leiters Ford in  89'. 

The company also entered the warehousing business through the establishment of   bulk commodity warehouse facilities at Burns Harbor, The Port of Indiana, and Greenwood, Indiana.  The Greenwood Indiana facility was a liquid fertilizer terminal which was serviced by a fertilizer pipeline.  When the pipeline serving this facility was abandoned by the owners of the  pipeline, Frick closed the facility, establishing the same type of facility by purchasing a petroleum tank farm in Speedway, Indiana.    The Speedway facility was recently sold to Heritage Crystal Clean.  The Burns Harbor facility was developed to handle both dry  and liquid bulk commodities.

In the 90's and into the 2000's the company continued to grow in the retail agronomy sector, adding agronomic services as a key part of its marketing offerings. 

In the mid 90's the company decided to divest itself of key grain assets. Beginning in 2005, the company began to reinvest in grain facilities, expanding and improving existing facilities to respond to the need of area growers.  Warehousing facilities have also been expanded  at Burns Harbor so that the company can expand  services to marketing of bulk commodities. Through the Warehouse facilities the company also operates  a Wholesale Fertilizer Business, supplying  retail agronomy entities  in Northern Indiana and Southwest  Michigan.  Also in 2005, the company entered the  lawn fertilizer business, packaging lawn fertilizers at its Burns Harbor operation for  marketing  in urban areas of Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin.

 Today the company operates:  
 
  • Four Retail Agronomy Centers
  • Three Grain Facilities
  • Warehousing Operations
  • Turf Management Products