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Shop table gains wide acceptance
by Kathi Carlson Northern Watch Reporter

During our visit, Tom Morrissey used the word "really" a lot as he described what he does as "really fun," and how he feels about what's happening as "really exciting," and his outlook is "really optimistic."

Tom Morrissey is the president of Scribe-Rite Steel, Inc. (SRS. Inc), a welding and machining operation located in the former school building in Gatzke.

The major product of the business is a table used, for the most part, as a work station in manufacturing facilities.

The ergonomic table is adjustable, a crank adjusting the height between 30 and 42 inches. It includes an air manifold with connections for five different air tools. An optional adjustable overhead attachment will accommodate a four foot fluorescent light and five additional air tools. "The white plastic tabletop utilizes available light very well," says Tom. The table is also available with a metal tabletop for welding.

The table's design is simple. Trailer jacks are used for the legs. and the mechanism is driven by a bicycle chain.

Some of the components of the table are built by Hanson Manufacturing of Lancaster and Metal Magic of Middle River. Other parts and nuts and bolts come out of Grand Forks. The majority of the metal is from the Twin Cities, and the tabletops are delivered from Fargo.

The price of the table starts at $500, and it is available to individuals as well as industry.

Polaris engineer Phil Johnson is credited with the original concept. Johnson owns Intercept Industries in Roseau, which manufactures components for Polaris and mount tires on the company's ATV rims.

Morrissey says he took Johnson's design and "cleaned it up and made it producible." He has been making the tables since 1992, and in July of 1995, incorporated and moved his business into the school building in Gatzke.

It was Tom's original intent to convert part of the building into a home, and he pointed out how he would have used the existing kitchen and bathrooms and partitioned the gymnasium and added a loft. The only thing the building will house, however, is SRS, Inc. While area folks laughed at him for thinking he needed all that space, the entire building is occupied by his business, and Tom anticipated the necessity of adding on later this year.

Currently, the business can produce eight tables "on a good day" and averages four to five units per day.

When Tom received his largest single order last fall, SRS, Inc was a one-man show. The order for 143 tables was more than he alone could handle, and he describes himself as "very lucky" when he was able to hire two "skilled, ambitious and talented people" to work for him. Scott Johnson from Anchorage, AK was wintering in Roseau, and Brian Stanley is from Grygla and was a high school classmate of Morrissey. The trio began working on the order immediately after the deer season ended in November.

The last table that is actually sold was made yesterday, and then 25 tables will be built in advance.

Tom is excited and optimistic about future business. Minnesota Industrial Tools, Inc. (MIT) a $50 million a year tool distributor based in the Twin Cities, approached him about adding the table to its product line. MIT is currently putting together a color brochure about the table which will include the following testimonial from Gary Johnson of Product Research and Development of Bagley. "We currently have over 100 SRS, Inc. adjustable height work tables in use. I think it is the most rugged ergonomic workbench in the marketplace!"

It was MIT employee Dan Timmersman of Roseau who placed the order for 143 tables for Polaris Industries. Timmersmen occupies an office at Polaris as a single source supplier, supplying the tool crib at Polaris. That order brought the total number of SRS, Inc. workstations at Polaris to about 200.

In a telephone conversation, Timmersmen had nothing but good things to say about the table. He says, "There's nothing better or tougher on the market." Morrissey is quick to point out that his work table is not a new idea, but is a better idea. Most tables, built with two trailer jacks, are "flimsy and wobbly." The SRS, Inc. table is produced using four jacks and is "absolutely rigid and unique." Morrissey has sold around 500 tables and has never been called to make a repair on the product.

However, Tom adds. "The assembly process is not easy." He is "continuously in the process of product and production improvement." Assembled with readily available components, the table is not patented, but he was excited to show me a back pack stand that employee Scott Johnson has patented and spends time perfecting in the shop.

Tom Morrissey is in his late thirties, and prior to founding Scribe-Rite Steel, he was employed by Polaris and worked for Machinewell, Inc. in Grygla.

Tom's office is full of his "favorite stuff".... Antler mounts, a couple of nice walleyes, fox pelts, caps and photographs. While he enjoys hunting and fishing, he does it "less and less these days." As others are going to ball games, Tom is in his shop until late at night working on what he calls "my project" He often starts early in the morning, too. He uses that "really" word again as he says his work makes him feel "really good." His enthusiasm is contagious.

Near the end of our visit, we discussed entrepreneurship, and I asked if he had the opportunity to read Edgar Hetteen's recently published book, Breaking Trail. Tom swiveled his chair and reached for his copy from a shelf: Like so many in the area, he knows Edgar and his admiration is obvious.

Regardless of how monetarily rewarding the table becomes, with what he and his customers believe to be a superior product and his gung ho spirit, Tom Morrissey can add successful and proud to the way he feels.....Really!