About Us
THE STORY
Entrepreneurs look for problems. If they solve them successfully they’ve got themselves a business. Without really knowing that at the start, that’s how Brian and Dave got Lansing Housing Products started. In 2003, to keep the business from moving out of Lansing, and taking jobs with it, they bought the business. Dave was a salesman. Brian was a banker. Of course they could figure it out. Big hail was a big problem in the Plains States. They came up with a security screen that beat hail and, as it happened, beat vandalism, too. That success attracted new problems and new opportunities. In 2006 child safety advocates in Minneapolis asked Brian and Dave to see if they could make a child safety screen that would protect small children from window-fall injuries. They did, working with The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at Iowa State University. The new design received a patent in 2017. This innovative Tough Tek Metals® (ToughTek) child safety screen got the attention of public housing and military housing agencies all across the U.S. It is now a product development and marketing focus of the company.
In 2023, celebrating their 20th year in business, and receiving their second patent, Lansing Housing Products changed their name to the dba of Tough Tek Metals® which more appropriately describes the company. With over 60,000 Safety Screens in military family housing, they continue to protect children from window falls. As their innovation continues, having passed ASTM 1996-20 Florida Hurricane Missile Level D Impact, they are expanding into the hurricane market.
The story of Lansing Housing Products turned Tough Tek Metals® exemplifies entrepreneurial success through problem-solving, innovation, and adaptation.
THE PRODUCTS
Tough Tek Metals is all about protecting, we are Tough Enough to Protect. Products designed and manufactured to make homes secure and to protect the people who live in them. Screens and doors are the focus. The patented Tough Tek Metal® child safety screen virtually eliminates window-fall injuries for small children. A full line of other security screens and security screen and storm doors meet standard architectural and performance specifications. Custom screens and doors are made to spec. Tough Tek Metals® screens and doors are installed in public housing, government, schools and military housing throughout the United States. The newly developed Storm Blocker is currently being introduced to customers in the hurricane belt.
Made in America with U.S. Labor!
THE TEAM
THIS IS THE CORE TEAM AND SPIRIT IS THE GLUE. Team spirit. Local spirit. Entrepreneurial spirit. Find something you like to do and make it your work. Even better if your work tackles business problems and solves them. That’s good for the spirit and the bottom line. That’s what our core team and local talent pool does and what they want to do…..in addition to wanting to stay local. Designers, engineers, fabricators, metallurgists, installers and customer service advocates. They make this place work.