ENDICOTT - The largest private employer in Jefferson County just celebrated a landmark birthday.

The Endicott Clay Products Company, located eight miles southeast of Fairbury, celebrated its 100th birthday Monday.

Endicott Clay was first opened on Jan. 6, 1920 by Herman Fairchild, who submitted a $15,550 order for brick making equipment. Since then, the company has expanded operation on numerous occasions.

Today, the company operates on about 1,000 acres of land and employs over 300 people. President and CEO Ryan Parker says this sustained growth and success all goes back to the quality of their product. 

"To survive in the architectural community, you have to be able to offer quality," he said. "Quality in terms of the product, our sales and support and staff, and just day in and day out, making sure that what we're shipping is some of the finest brick in the world."

Endicott Clay works largely with architectural firms across the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe and Asia, providing face brick, thin brick and brick pavers.

Soon, the company hopes to have a smoother road that will link their plant to Nebraska Highway 15.

The road between Endicott Clay and the highway is just over three miles long. Parker says linking the road west will reduce flooding concerns from the Little Blue River.

The current road, which is narrow in places and has quite a few pot holes and washboards, has sustained flooding damage several times over the last few years.
 

The new road will cost about $2.8 million. Most of that will likely be funded through grants from the Economic Development Authority, the Nebraska Department of Transportation and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

The county already has $240,000 available in their own fund to put toward this project.

"(The road) is critical," Parker said. "Right now, all of the semis are going down a road that's been flooded on several occasions, but it's also extremely rough. That leads to product complaints where we have chipped material on a job site. When we host architects, the road is the first and last thing that they see. That's real when they come in."

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