Many companies begin with a vision and a dream, or in the case of Wound-About Inc., the curiosity of a 12 year old boy. Wound-About Inc. was founded in 1988 by Kyle Wallace after he received his first rope braider from his grandfather who told him to “turn this into something!” With a fascination for machinery, Kyle took the non-working rope braider, fixed the motor, and turned a dust collector into a working rope braider.
As time passed Kyle’s curiosity turned into reality as he began to search for yarn and customers who needed rope. This became a family project including his grandmother who found a rope manufacturer that sold Kyle yarn, parts and additional braiders. After learning more about rope and the rope business, Kyle began to acquire more machines and began contracting work from other manufacturers, allowing him to help pay for college. Upon completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technology from Purdue University, Kyle moved to a small, 7800 square foot, building in rural North Carolina in 1999 to pursue his dream.
Living off $4000 that first year was tough, but he did not get discouraged. By 2002, Wound-About Inc., hired the first employees to assist with the increased work load. In 2009, the need arose for a larger facility in North Carolina to accommodate the growing demand for Wound-About Inc. rope.
With increased growth Kyle began to look for a new facility, which was purchased in August of 2009, with production beginning in October 2009. The original building was 7800 square feet but the new facility houses 178,000 square feet. With additional space, Wound-About Inc. has become a profitable business.
The driving force behind the success of Wound-About Inc. came from a 12 year old boy’s fascination with machinery. It is through this fascination and by the grace of God, that Wound-About Inc. is the company it is today.