Jordan Beck | Daily Press Matt Behling, a tie machine operator at L&C Enterprises-USA, Inc., is pictured while hard at work recently. The company, which also does business as Delta Fence & Construction, has been active for decades.

Editor’s note: The Daily Press features a profile of an area business each week. This week’s featured business is Sav-Mor IGA in Escanaba.

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ESCANABA — L&C Enterprises-USA, Inc., which also does business as Delta Fence & Construction, has been active for decades. Vice President Ron Chouinard said the business focuses on offering strong customer service and high-quality products related to fencing.

According to Chouinard, President Jeff Lancour used to be a foreman for road construction company Snowden Inc. He was in charge of roadside work.

“From there, Jeff had hired me to be the crew leader,” Chouinard said.

At one point, Lancour was part of a state project involving the installation of a chain link fence.

“We realized there is no easy way to install chain link fence,” Chouinard said.

Inspired, Lancour had an idea for a machine that could solve the problem.

“We decided to make these machines and sell them ourselves,” Chouinard said.

According to Chouinard, L&C Enterprises got started in the late ’80s. Initially, the company tried to sell its machines to fencing companies; after Lancour and Chouinard found demand to be limited, they chose to start concentrating on fence installation instead.

“That’s where Delta Fence came about,” Chouinard said.

Eventually, Chouinard said L&C Enterprises began to sell more of its machines with modifications to improve their performance. The company’s product line did not stop at one machine, however.

Today, L&C Enterprises manufactures a total of five products. These include the Installink Fence Dispenser, the Barbed Wire Dispenser, the Rapid Roller, the LOBO Post Puller and chain link fence ties, all of which are manufactured in Escanaba. The business also sells equipment from other manufacturers.

Currently, Delta Fence makes up roughly a third of the two entities’ combined business. Delta Fence offers a variety of fencing options for people and organizations in the Upper Peninsula.

These options are displayed in the business’ outdoor showroom.

“We display a lot of wood, vinyl products, chain link products and ornamental — whether it’s steel or aluminum,” Chouinard said.

Chouinard said the fencing materials offered by Delta Fence are held to a high standard.

“If I don’t want to put that type of fence in my backyard, I won’t sell it,” he said.

According to Chouinard, while his company once worked on projects across the country, Delta Fence now stays closer to the Escanaba area.

“We now only try to stay within (100-150) miles from home,” he said.

The business’ most popular choice of material for residential fencing is vinyl, followed closely by chain link. For commercial applications, Chouinard said about 95 percent of the fencing Delta Fence sells is chain link.

Recently, Delta Fence was involved with efforts to establish the new Delta County Correctional Facility at the Delta County Service Center.

“We just did the sheriff’s office,” he said.

The company will also play a role in work on the U.S. 2 and 41 bridge over the Escanaba River.

“We’re working on the railing on the south side of the Escanaba (River) bridge,” Chouinard said.

Along with these projects, Chouinard said Delta Fence will be a part of the construction of a dog park at the Delta County Airport. The company sold fencing materials to the City of Escanaba for the dog park, and will be supervising the installation of fencing there at no cost to the city.

Chouinard noted L&C Enterprises takes customer service seriously.

“When you call us or walk in the door, you are greeted, usually, by a receptionist,” he said.

As part of this, Chouinard said he is personally willing to give installation advice to people who have bought fencing but not installation services from Delta Fence.

“I’m very happy to share my expertise with them so they put it up right,” he said.

Looking ahead, Chouinard said his business will continue to provide products and services related to fencing for the foreseeable future.

“We’re here to stay,” he said.

To learn more, visit www.deltafenceman.com and www.lcenterprises-usa.com.