Kansas company makes power poles, helps Puerto Rico with Hurricane Maria aftermath

ELLSWORTH, Kan. (KSNW) - It’s been more than five months since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, and the island is still trying to recover. It’s difficult when almost 200,000 people still don’t have power.

One Kansas company, in Ellsworth, is helping out by making power poles.

For about three months, Maico employees in Ellsworth, Kansas have been busy at work.

“The shop’s been running basically 18 hours a day almost everyday,” said Jeff Landon, Pole Division Project Manager.

But the team says they don’t mind the long days or getting their hands dirty. They know their efforts are helping put the lights on in a place needing it most.

“There’s still like a third of Puerto Rico that still doesn’t have power from September and these guys have been have been knocking it out for three months now and take a lot of pride in what they do,” said Landon.

They are part of a FEMA project and will make a little more than 2,500 poles to help the electrical infrastructure there.

But why Maico? Well, it’s what makes the company unique.

“We have one of the largest press breaks in the United States,” said Landon.

Landon says most of their work is actually sent out of Kansas, like their steel beams that are now part of the New York Giants practice facility.

They’re a hard-working group that Landon says like to get the job done.

“Had guys building them and kicking them out the other end just as fast as the material was coming through the door,” added Landon.

Story originally from KSN News.To see video footage, click here.