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Scott County Discovers:
Gar Tech Enterprises, Inc. By Diana Hahn
R
ecently someone brought up the name
GarTech in a conversation. I asked what they
did. I received a vague answer, so being the
inquisitive person that I am, I thought I’d just call and ask if I
could get some info. Imagine my surprise when the GM
answered. Mr. Don Hounshell was as accommodating as he
could possibly be, inviting me for a sit-down even though he
had a full schedule.
My first question to Mr Hounshell was, “How did you
get the name GarTech?” His broad smile told me there was a
story behind it. He stated that while working in the
Engineering Dept at Cummins Inc, he started tinkering with
wiring harnesses and test equipment on the side. As it grew,
he decided to formalize this new venture by going through
the process of creating his own company. The day drew near
for him to sign documents and he still didn’t have a name. As
he and a buddy bantered back and forth, he stated, “I don’t
really have a name. I just work out of my garage.” He
shortened garage to GAR, added Tech, and it stuck. He added
that he thought he’d change the name if it flew, but never got
around to it.
In the late 90s, the business evolved into a full-time
enterprise with 4 full-time employees and sales of over
$400k. After 20+ years at Cummins Inc, Don, along with
Engineering Manager, Howard Moore, left their jobs to
concentrate on their growing endeavor. They established
GarTech Enterprises, Inc in Austin, IN located at 3037 W St
Rd 256 since 2004.
If you take a look at their website, http://
www.gartechenterprises.com/ their list of products and
services is impressive. Their company profile states:
“GarTech is an electronics technical contracting company
specializing in all aspects of electronic product development.
From new product design and prototyping to mid-volume
production, GarTech has a reputation for providing both high
quality solutions and quick turnaround. Extensive knowledge
Coffee with The Chamber:
March 2014
of the industry and expertise in OEM harnessing, control
panels, test equipment and other heavy duty industrial,
marine and automotive engine related e