Lakestate

Finding a saddle tank bracket company that provides durability, ease of installation, and compatibility with implements in one package is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Enter Lakestate, a firm that meets all of these needs. A family-owned manufacturing business, Lakestate has established itself in the agricultural industry for its diverse array of saddle tank brackets, addressing the varied needs of modern agriculture and farming.

Central to Lakestate's extensive product portfolio is its signature leg tank design, which is distinguished from conventional offerings that require cumbersome saddles for mounting. Its leg tanks have a flat bottom for a streamlined design alternative that prevents corrosion over time. The brackets, designed for front and back mounting, accommodate diverse tank configurations, ensuring compatibility with a broad array of agricultural equipment.

The mind behind these innovations is Marc Nikkel. His experience as a farmer and an engineer gives him a profound understanding of the industry's challenges. His dual perspective enables him to design technically optimized products that enhance efficiency and productivity in farming operations.

For Nikkel, Lakestate’s operational ethos is about more than just manufacturing and selling products; it involves adapting and solving emerging farming challenges. His firm leverages an on-site farm for product testing, ensuring each product meets high performance and durability standards before entering the market. This testing process identifies potential improvements, ensuring that only the most reliable products reach the farmers.

“Lakestate thrives on adaptability and innovation,” says Nikkel. “Our diverse product range is simple and efficient, resonating deeply with our commitment to practicality.”

This innovative approach inspired the firm's memorable slogan, "Saddle Tanks with No Saddles," which captures the essence of its design philosophy.

Lakestate’s smaller organizational size adds another dimension of adaptability to its operations. Unburdened by rigid corporate structures, it can swiftly modify its products according to the evolving agricultural landscapes, staying ahead of emerging trends. It is committed to fabricating quality frames and tank brackets, streamlining the transportation of liquid products. It is a reliable partner for farmers seeking solutions as distinctive as their needs, redefining efficiency and productivity in modern-day farming.

Transforming Efficiency with Cutting-Edge Products

Farmers encounter numerou.s challenges in efficiently administering fertilizers and liquid products to their crops during vital field operations. As they strive to meet increasing demand for operational productivity, the need for implements capable of handling larger volumes of liquid products becomes evident. However, this enhanced capacity often comes with the risk of complicating installation processes, which can reduce operational efficiency.

Lakestate has emerged as a key player in catering to this aspect of agricultural work. The company designs intuitively simple tanks and brackets that make installation easier. This strategic simplicity alleviates the farmer’s burden while increasing their ability to manage daily tasks efficiently.

Its mid-mount tank brackets offer optimal ground and crop clearance, fortified by a strong weld design for exceptional durability. These brackets–available in capacities ranging from 650 to 1,200 gallons–accommodate various tractor styles and models, offering versatility and adaptability on the field. Tank molds are developed in-house to ensure a narrower transport width and a more appealing design.

Understanding the importance of reducing downtime, Lakestate developed larger tanks that allow farmers to carry more liquid products, reducing the need for frequent refills. This advancement is crucial for boosting productivity, as farmers can accomplish more field tasks within a single day without interruption.
A standout innovation in Lakestate’s portfolio is its mid-mount saddle tanks, which allow farmers to carry different liquids on each side of the tractor. Its product designs prioritize excellent visibility from the tractor cab and ease of entry and exit, resulting in a smoother and more productive operating experience.

Its latest John Deere 8RX tractor bracket is installed between the transmission and the rear track. This setup optimizes weight distribution and tractor performance, elevating efficiency and precision in the field by evenly distributing weight between the front and rear and positioning the tank close to the track to achieve a narrower profile. Shifting the weight and tanks to the rear enhances side visibility and reduces the load on the front axle.
While Lakestate excels at offering standardized solutions, its flexibility in customization allows it to meet specific operational needs with over 50 customizable combinations for various tractor models. This capability ensures that each farmer’s needs are met with precision and reliability. Despite its small size, Lakestate is committed to providing exceptional post-sales service, swiftly addressing client’s concerns and accommodating individual requests.

Lakestate's proactive approach to addressing farmers' challenges, combined with its easy-to-install solutions and focus on quality, drives efficiency and sustainability. The firm is well-positioned to tackle future challenges and pave the way for continued agricultural innovation and progress.

Nourishing Fields, Empowering Farmers

A diverse range of tanks plays a critical role in the crop cultivation process. From the initial soil preparation to the vital phases of in-season fertilization, various tanks are required to deploy commercial and liquid fertilizers. This capability is crucial in optimizing crop health and maximizing yield, making it indispensable for farmers navigating the complexities of modern agriculture. Lakestate’s tanks are increasingly used in small green crop cultivation, reflecting the company's ability to adapt to evolving agricultural practices.

Lakestate consistently delivers products that streamline farmers' operations and keep them abreast of emerging market trends. Recently, a client approached it about increasing the capacity of its John Deere 9RT tractor by adding additional tanks to its front end. Despite a lack of experience with that particular model, Nikkel and his team swiftly developed a custom bracket, increasing the tractor's capacity to an impressive 2,200 gallons.

“Our clients consistently express immense satisfaction with our reliability and personalized service. Our responsiveness is rare in today's business landscape,” says Nikkel.

Agility is a key advantage. Operating as a small fabrication shop, Lakestate is unencumbered by the bureaucratic hurdles that can stifle innovation at larger manufacturers. This flexibility enables it to quickly deliver bespoke solutions, ensuring that they exceed clients' expectations.

By combining reliability with personalized service, Lakestate sets new standards in the agricultural industry, demonstrating that even smaller companies can lead the way in innovation and customer satisfaction.
Roots of Innovation and Practicality

Lakestate's journey can be traced back to Nikkel’s upbringing in a farming family, where his father, Lee Nikkel, instilled out-of-the-box thinking for problem-solving in him and his brother Jon Nikkel from a young age. Working alongside their father, Nikkel and his brother constantly sought better farming methods. His father, a guiding figure, ingrained principles of good work ethics and of building and design. Together, they discussed ideas, tested concepts, and gained firsthand insights into what proves effective and what does not. His father's involvement in Sunco Manufacturing, a company specializing in planter fertilizer attachments, further fueled his passion for resolving farming challenges.

"Our clients consistently express immense satisfaction with our reliability and personalized service"

Working in a modest, unheated shop in Minnesota with little more than a gas-powered stick welder and a determination to innovate, Nikkel set out to address farmers’ need to supplement their income during lean times. Lakestate was founded as a solution-driven company born out of this necessity. With a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by farmers, Nikkel was able to develop practical solutions designed to address specific issues. Through farming insight, manufacturing expertise and unending support from wife Luetta Nikkel for over 33 years, Nikkel continues to create products that enhance farm operations while addressing the industry’s evolving challenges.

As Nikkel says, “Our success lies in our ability to recognize farmer needs and align them with manufacturing expertise, forging a powerful synergy that drives agricultural innovation.”

Lakestate has a small, dedicated crew of full-time, highly skilled welders and steelworkers proficient in welding and shipping tasks. During winter, the team expands with part-time assistance, ensuring the company is ready to meet product demand with the new season. Though compact, Lakestate's workforce packs a punch, and each employee plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer service.

Lakestate's forward-looking ethos and commitment to innovation are evident in its ambitious plans for the future. Focusing on meeting farmers' evolving needs, it constantly develops new designs to ensure they are compatible with the latest tractor models. Upcoming projects include refining the Fendt tractor designs and enhancing its double front setup for optimal performance. It is also developing narrower tanks to ease road transport without compromising capacity. Inspired by the response from growers and farmer dealers, Lakestate is venturing into new territory and testing a new planter attachment for the spring planting season.

Over the years, Lakestate has maintained its commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Its flexibility ensures that no challenge is too great to overcome. Its team, which values innovation and customer-centricity, continues to push the boundaries and transform the agricultural industry through its forward-thinking product development strategies.