MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
Homegrown company Trystar has enjoyed years of solid growth, and recently moved into a new space on the north end of Faribault that should help it to grow further. (Andrew Deziel/southernminn.com)
Homegrown company
looks for ward to bright future By ANDREW DEZIEL andrew.deziel@apgsomn.com
W
ith support from the city and county, a rapidly growing Faribault business is settling into new office space as it looks forward to a bright future — and plays a crucial role in the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trystar’s new office space, completed by hometown firm Met-Con Construction, includes a “collaboration space” with a coffee bar. (Andrew Deziel/southernminn.com)
14 | MAY 2021 | Southern Minn biz
Since 1992, Trystar has manufactured temporary electrical power units for commercial and emergency services purposes in Faribault. Trystar’s products have traditionally been in demand when natural disasters hit, with hurricane season its strongest time of the year. Even before the pandemic, Trystar had seen robust demand and growth for years. With a reputation for quality and an ability to get its products to customers in a timely fashion, it won devoted customers all over the world. Since the pandemic, Trystar’s units have provided power for testing stations and other emergency uses. Those needs have continued as authorities try to figure out how to store and distribute vaccines that need to be kept at extremely cold temperatures. Trystar CEO A.J. Smith expects to see his company’s growth continue as businesses recover from COVID-19. Smith said that the first quarter of 2021 was stronger than expected and quarter two looks even more promising. Despite that momentum, Smith noted that many larger events are still being canceled or postponed. As a result, the side of Trystar’s business traditionally focused on large gatherings and festivals may not recover until the second half of the year. Trystar’s employees will be able to meet those needs from larger and significantly upgraded facilities. After years of
