While some businesses are closing their doors due to a troubled economy, one has survived and thrived over the past 40 years.
Al Barnes Sr., Pottsville, said he started Versa-Tron in Pottsville in 1973. It remained in the city for about 10 years before moving to 236 Sunbury St., Minersville.
The business recently returned to Pottsville, setting up shop at 95 Glenworth Road.
Versa-Tron has specialized in the repair and installation of a multitude of products, including home appliances and banking equipment, and now video security equipment. Barnes said that some customers have included Pennsylvania National Bank, Miners Bank, the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"We started out with all the banks in Schuylkill County, all the drive-in systems," Barnes said. "We used to specialize in all banking equipment, money counting dispensers, shredders and time clocks. We still do."
Servicing appliances, Barnes said Versa-Tron not only repairs washing machines and televisions, but also microwaves - Versa-Tron is the "only microwave technician in the area."
"I attended many appliance schools," Barnes said. "Whenever a new appliance came out, I went to school for it."
While the business has changed to mostly security equipment, it still performs electrical repairs. If it's for those who have older appliances, and the company has many parts in stock in its shop.
The business's most recent addition, video equipment, is completely custom built for the customer. It can be watched from anywhere in the world, even on an Apple iPad or a smartphone, according to Barnes.
Being able to adapt to the market and cater to different customers is what has helped Versa-Tron survived over the years.
"Today, you have to be diversified," Barnes said. "We just kept upgrading. You can't just depend on one particular item and expect to make a living off it."
While the company has changed its type of work over the years, its most recent change is from its Minersville location to the new one on Hillside, since the building was 6,600 square feet and the entire space wasn't being used.
"We downsized building space but didn't downsize the business," said Barnes' son, Al Barnes Jr. "It was just a better economic move to go into a smaller building than to keep heating the entire building. This was just a better economic move and we can pass the savings off to our customers."
The new pole building in Pottsville is 768 square feet and is nearly complete.
"Even through the worst economic times, the company has survived 40 years," said Barnes Jr. "Small businesses are closing, but Versa-Tron is still here."
Barnes Sr. contributes the company's success to the fact that they service what they sell and in a timely manner.
"We meet the customers and go according to their schedules," he said. "We try to cooperate as much as possible because we're customers ourselves."
They have also tried to stay as local as possible, keeping to American-made products and even going through local suppliers for office supplies.
In addition to his success with the business, Barnes Sr. said he also holds two U.S. patents. The first is for the 21st century washboard and the second is through a company called Medaristic Solutions LLC, a medical patent to detect colorectal and prostate cancer, with the product expected to be out in the next year.
For more information about Versa-Tron, call 570-622-2441.