Lyna and Brian Corbley of Integra Tooling in LaGrange.
If anyone would have told me 15 years ago that my husband and I would be running our own tooling business, I”™d have told them they were crazy,” said Lyna Corbley, co-owner of Integra Tooling in LaGrange.
How the couple came to own the originally Long Island-based Integra Tooling was bittersweet, said Lyna (pronounced like Lena). “Brian made a promise to a friend that if anything should happen to him, Brian would keep his company going.”
When Dave Freeman died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack at the age of 48, Brian Corbley kept his promise.
“It was a leap of faith for both of us,” said Lyna. “Brian left his job and we bought out Integra Tooling. With a daughter up in SUNY New Paltz, we visited often and have family in Highland. We knew the area and loved it. Economy-wise, that was where the business was, not out in eastern Long Island, where we were living.”
The couple took another leap of faith, this time selling their Long Island home and moving to the Hudson Valley, bringing Integra Tooling with them.
“We bought a house in the city of Poughkeepsie in 2006, mapping out our five-year plan to grow the business and eventually expand into a showroom and shop, since we were doing the bulk of our business on line and out of our home.
“When we first came to Poughkeepsie, we were using our third floor as our office,” she said. “Then, the economy went wild and freight charges went through the roof. That”™s when every business owner started thinking local ”“ and so did we. We wanted to have a commercial space and integrate into the community, have a place to manufacture our own tools. Brian would like to mentor kids interested in the business.
“When the economy tanked, we accelerated our five-year plan; it became a two-and-a-half-year plan,” said Lyna.
Part of the couple”™s new fast-tracked business plan included Brian developing routes for pickups and deliveries with the company van.
The couple moved Integra”™s sales office out of the house and into a 2,500 square foot building in LaGrange, where a showroom and workshop complete the picture. New neighbors include Page Lumber, one of Integra”™s customers, as well as another, First Cut, right around the corner. The couple has high hopes they are off to a good start, bad economy notwithstanding.
“Now that we have a showroom, we can sell direct to the public,” Lyna said. “People can shop around, but I believe they”™ll come back to us. Our blades are top of the line, the kind you won”™t find in big-box retail stores. Businesses will be able to pick up and drop off blades at the shop if they want to. We”™ll also have the pickup and delivery routes established.”
Bryan Corbley says commercial blades, saws and knives can be re-sharpened 15-20 times to maximize their full potential. “It”™s well worth doing, considering their cost. Profile knives ”“specific to the woodworking industry ”“ are another big investment worth sharpening rather than replacing.”
Integra”™s business is industry specific to the likes of woodworkers, cabinet makers, carpenters, store fixture manufacturers and those who use cutting tools for their jobs and who know edges must be maintained for optimum performance. Integra Tooling”™s aim to is to keep those tools of the trade in razor-sharp condition for their useful life, saving money for their owners in the process.
“The economy is very tough right now, but we are going to stay focused and stay positive,” they said, adding: “We joined the Hudson Valley Association of Builders and participated in their recent trade show. We”™re getting ready to join the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Yes, Poughkeepsie has its share of problems, as all cities do to one degree or another, especially since the economy is not good. We think the city will bounce back, and it is doing all it can to help small businesses. This is a hub of economic development.”
Lyna believes being part of the community outside of work is important and toward that end, the couple formed the Academy Street Neighborhood Association.
“We have a wonderful group of neighbors, and we all pitch in and help each other. We”™re each others”™ watchdogs, going to City Council meets to keep up to date on what”™s happening. We had a community tag sale to raise money for after-school programs for kids.”
The economy may have gone south, but business and personal relationships need to be fostered and built on, maybe now more than ever, said Lyna. Small business owners, just like homeowners, want to be there when the dust clears. The Corbleys intend to be among the survivors.
The also intend to keep sparks flying when it comes to promoting Integra Tooling (www.integratooling.com).They”™ll be cutting the ribbon on their new sales/workshop location at the end of March ”¦ With a very sharp scissor, no doubt. And they are counting on celebrating not just a first anniversary, but many more to come.
