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Growing UP in a down economy <br />Page 3 of 3 <br />Chris Carlson, president of Sportech, Elk River, which makes enclosures, roofs, doors, <br />quick-release parts and other supplies for Polaris, Arctic Cat, John Deere and other <br />makers of rugged utility vehicles, said design innovation and strong demand have been <br />the key to his company's growth. <br />"The truth is that this market is still growing. The utility vehicle market is solid and strong. <br />People are buying them," Carlson said. "So despite what you read in the newspaper, not <br />everybody is ready to file bankruptcy. People are still buying these vehicles." <br />That's why Sportech doubled its plant size in October, hired 40 new workers and plans to <br />add 10 more next year. "In 2009 we think that business will be up. We're projecting 20 <br />percent growth," Carlson said. <br />Jim Haglund, owner of Central Container in Brooklyn Park, hired nine people this year <br />and recently signed asix-figure contract that will require overtime work through the <br />holidays. His company generates more than $30 million a year in packaging goods and <br />making corrugated display cases for companies such as Best Buy, Target and Sam's <br />Club. <br />Haglund said he picked up business by spending several million dollars on new specialty <br />die cutting and gluing equipment to make unique corrugated display cases, such as <br />those with clear plastic windows. <br />"It helps separate us and puts us into a specialty part of this business," Haglund said. <br />But Haglund said he's still unsure about the future. "I am forecasting next year from zero <br />growth to a negative 15 percent," he said. Regardless, he doesn't intend to lose a single <br />member of his newly expanded staff. <br />"We are going to try to inflict the least amount of pain as possible with our workers," he <br />said. "If the time comes, we will ask for voluntary time off ... and what we will probably do <br />is go down to reduced hours corporate-wide to a 35-hour week." <br />Recession or not, Haglund said, it's important that workers keep their health insurance. <br />"Because I came from a farm in northern Minnesota and I stared out with just $15,000 <br />years ago, I can't imagine coming home during the holidays and telling my family that I <br />don't have a job." <br />Dee DePass • 612-673-7725 <br />©2009 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. <br />http://www.startribune.com/templates/Print This_Story?sid=36757159 1/9/2009 <br />