Lester Building Systems

Lester Building Systems is an information technology and services company based out of 1560 Reagan Dr, Eureka, Illinois, United States. Our History On April 1, 1947, Lester's of Minnesota, Inc. was formed by 11 men with a working capital of and a drive to succeed. Inside a 2,400 square-foot warehouse/office in Lester Prairie, MN, they took over a Stran-Steel (metal quonset huts) franchise owned by Weise and Kuhlmann, Inc, who owned several businesses in the area. Art Schwichtenberg, general manager, changed course. He purchased the company in 1954 and transitioned to wood structures. Under Art's leadership, Lester's sold glue-laminated Gothic-arch buildings in the agricultural and light commercial markets. Innovation led to Insl-Wall™ panels and the first Wingspan pole barn in the 1960s. By 1977, the company celebrated its building sold. Eager to expand beyond the Upper Midwest, Lester's began selling to independent dealers in 1984. After 32 successful years, with over buildings constructed, Art retired and sold the company. In 1986, Kansas City, MO based Butler Manufacturing Company bought Lester's. Butler had national distribution for its grain bins and steel buildings and envisioned the same for Lester. Over the next 18 years, the company added three manufacturing facilities and expanded coverage to two-thirds of the U.S. with the help of its far-reaching dealer network. In 1990, Lester acquired Bonanza Buildings and its plant in Charleston, IL. During the 1990s and Lester's engineering capabilities evolved, resulting in the construction of larger and more complex buildings. In 2004, members of the Lester Buildings management group purchased the company. True to its roots, Lester Buildings remains a privately held, locally owned company. Each owner-partner is a hands-on employee who values hard work, loyalty and respect. Our company takes great pride in employing generations of hard-working local citizens. Lester continually r