KPAP Helps Menifee County Manufacturer Hit It
Big With Government Agencies
Times have changed dramatically for Boneal Inc., a Menifee
County manufacturing firm. In its early days, Boneal focused almost
exclusively on providing plastic components for IBM typewriters and
printers. However, the Cabinet for Economic Development has played a major
role in helping the company expand its markets.
Founded in 1980, Boneal has grown from meager entrepreneurial
beginnings into a nationally recognized contract manufacturer with $13 million
in annual revenues. Besides making everything from inkjet printer cartridges to
electrical enclosure hardware on the private-sector side, the company also has
a lot of satisfied customers in the government realm.
For example, Boneal engineered and produced critical components
for a high-power amplifier needed to keep the U.S. Air Force’s radar
planes flying. It worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to prototype, test,
manufacture and deliver buoys for Coast Guard stations nationwide. And it
cranked out millions of spare parts for sorting machines and other equipment
the U.S. Postal Service needs to deliver the mail. The company has won a long
list of awards, including the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2005
Prime Contractor of the Year award for the Southeastern region.
In 1996, Dr. Keith Gannon, CEO of Boneal, contacted the Cabinet
and its Kentucky Procurement Assistance Program (KPAP) and indicated an
interest in diversifying its market by expanding into government contracting.
KPAP staff worked closely with Boneal to help identify potential opportunities
in the government market and assist in obtaining various documentation needed
to respond to those opportunities. KPAP also helped the company register for
the federal government's HUBZone program, which provides preferences on some
federal contracts to firms located in high unemployment and/or low income
areas.
“The guidance we got from resources like KPAP helped us
compete early on,” said David Ledford, president of Boneal. “I
continue to be impressed by the professionalism and desire shown by those in
the KPAP program for us to succeed.”
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