The Koetter Group started as a residential framing business, founded in 1954 by Bob and Gladys Koetter. Growing to meet the needs of the community, they first transitioned to commercial and industrial projects in 1971 and in 2010 rounded out their offerings to include three divisions: Koetter Construction, Koetter Real Estate (KRES), and Koetter Building Services (KBS). Working in conjunction, these divisions provide three generations of experience and turn-key abilities to their clients.

  • KBS initially focused on the post-construction maintenance of their own buildings. With an eye for safety, Koetter built a team to focus on fall protection installation and inspection and began working with new clients to improve their existing structures. In 2017, they connected with their first distillery client: Jim Beam in Clermont, KY. 

    The Jim Beam rickhouses required remediation to improve functionality and safety, and The Koetter Group answered the call. Their success at Jim Beam led to remediation projects for additional distillery clients, each with their own specific needs and obstacles. Remediation projects require innovative thinking and real-world experience to properly implement solutions, and The Koetter Group provided both. 

    These remediation projects also gave Koetter insight into clear areas for improvement to industry-standard rickhouses. Tasked to “come up with a better mousetrap,” in 2019 they took what they learned during remediations and worked with the skilled teams at Koetter Woodworking and Brown + Kubican Structural Engineers to develop K-RAXⓇ premium rickhouses and portable racking systems.

    The Blending House property and rickhouses are the culmination of Koetter’s decades of construction experience and dedication to innovation. All four divisions of The Koetter Group came into play, including the newest division of the Koetter Group: K-RAXⓇ Premium Barrel Storage Systems.

The K-RAX® System Advantage

  • Safer Walkway

    Full width walk aisles provide toe kicks on both sides, preventing and protecting against injuries and lost time.

  • More Stable Lumber

    Southern Yellow Pine is used for the engineered timbers. They are kiln dried, heat treated, and digitally grade controlled.

  • Stronger Dunnage

    K-RAX® dunnage is one continuous laminated section. It resists bowing and twisting, and the tapered top allows for faster and safer loading and unloading.

  • Superior Engineering

    All components are CNC machined to a tolerance within 1,000th of an inch. Machining and assembly is performed indoors in a controlled environment.

  • Rugged Bracing

    Uses both wood and steel for bracing with bolted connections. Bracing is designed to counteract movement to allow for unbalanced loading and unloading.

  • Tougher Floors

    Walking surfaces are structurally loaded floors, designed to withstand extreme use and tailored to meet the requirements of a specific space.

  • Increased Protection

    Has certified wire mat panels at both ends of barrel aisles to provide fall protection at all times for employees and visitors.

Designed for
unbalanced loading
and unloading

Assembled
indoors and erected
in modules

Reduces time
required for loading
and unloading

Safer conditions
for warehouse
employees