When choppy financial waters left RotoForm Molding afloat in a sea of uncertainty, the small kayak manufacturer embarked on a nationwide search for a new home.

The family-owned and family-run business ultimately relocated to the Ellsworth Industrial Park, near Hwy. 175 and I-35 in Ellsworth, where they began production in January.

Best known for their signature Swell Watercraft line of high-performance kayaks, RotoForm got its start in Bellingham, Wash., where Jim Marsh founded the company in 2016 after serving as publisher of Canoe and Kayak magazine for 15 years.

Marsh, an avid outdoor enthusiast, envisioned a product that was the “holy grail” of kayaks, both light and stiff and virtually indestructible.

The resulting company, RotoForm, utilizes advanced polyethylene resins which are heated inside custom molds in a specialized oven. Once the resins are liquid, the oven rotates and tilts the mold, evenly coating the inside to create the kayak.

Coupled with a patent-pending drainage valve, Swell's unique, lowered seat position provides added stability, allowing the boats to be narrower and more maneuverable.

“I've had people say to me, why would you move your kayak business to Iowa? And Iowa is just as good a place to sell kayaks as anywhere else,” said Jim. “There are people out on the rivers and the lakes, kayak fishing, touring. "There are races here, and it happens in all 50 states and basically all over the world.”

Being centrally located in the United States and with easy access to major north-south and east-west transportation corridors has helped the company overcome a major hurdle: distribution.

“When we were in northwest Washington it was the absolute worst place in the country to try and distribute kayaks. In fact, kayaks are so big and bulky that we kind of consider ourselves to be a shipping company with a kayak problem.”

In addition to being available at retailers in the continental United States and Puerto Rico, the company also has a growing international presence, with Swell Watercraft available from retailers in Chile, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Kayaks can also be ordered through their website at SwellWatercraft.com.

Before landing in Ellsworth, RotoForm first tried moving production to South Africa. However, when freight costs tripled in 2020, and the company experienced challenges accessing quality raw materials, they decided to bring production back to the U.S.

For Thomas Marsh, president of RotoForm Molding and Jim’s brother, the company’s decision to relocate to Iowa was largely due to Corn Belt Power Cooperative’s and Midland Power Cooperative’s revolving loan funds.

“We started looking for partners and thinking, ‘how are we going to pull this off?’ because we’re a relatively small operation,” said Thomas.“We found Corn Belt Power and Midland Power as potential partners to help get the capital, get started in building the operation, putting it all together so we could bring it back to the United States, and have a manufacturing organization that was going to drive this quality product that we're trying to put out.”

Both co-ops provided $250,000 in low-interest loans through their co-op’s respective revolving loan programs, which were initially funded by a series of United States Department of Agriculture grants.

With between four to six seasonal full-time employees, RotoForm has produced more than 400 kayaks since opening its doors in January. The company is already preparing for future growth, recently acquiring a second oven with hopes of expanding its existing Swell Watercraft product line, as well as producing boats for other manufacturers.

“We may not have actually been able to find a way to make this project happen if it wasn't for Midland and Corn Belt,” Thomas said. “I mean, to say they were instrumental is an understatement.

“I don't believe we would have been able to go through and build this operation in this location without the help of Midland Power's revolving loan fund.”

Businesses interested in learning more about Midland Power’s revolving loan fund can contact David Speed, manager of business development and community relations, at (800) 833-8876 or dspeed@ midlandpower.coop.

The City of Ellsworth is a Midland Power municipal member.