Small businesses don’t garner big headlines like Amazon and Walmart. They’re not on every corner like the ubiquitous Starbucks. They’re tucked in retail strips and business parks, and often go unnoticed, even as we drive by them on a daily basis.
We are talking with small businesses around town and telling their stories, starting with Chelsea Turner of Walter Composites, located at 7000 Raleigh Street, in Historic Westminster.
Can you tell us how Walter Composites got its start?
CT: My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in the 1980s and started a fiberglass manufacturing company in southern Colorado. Later, my father joined their company, and eventually they expanded the business to the Denver Metro area. In 2020, my grandparents retired. After working alongside them for several years, we decided to take the company in a slightly different, more modern direction, so we opened our own fiberglass manufacturing company – Walter Composites Inc., named after my grandfather.
Is it still a family affair?
CT: Yes, it is! My husband and I run the company together, and we’re actually working on getting a second one up and running. And we’re usually joined by at least one of our dogs. If you’re lucky, they will greet you when you come to my office.
What does Walter Composites do?
CT: We specialize in the customer fabrication of FRP (fiberglass reinforced polyester) or composite parts.We offer full-service fiberglass manufacturing and serve a variety of industries from transportation to telecommunication, and make parts such as automotive and camper parts, cell tower structures, climbing wall holds, chemical tanks, etc.
Why did you choose Historic Westminster as a location for your business?
CT: We ultimately chose this location because of the industrial zoning. The enterprise zone we’re located in offers several tax benefits for our company. And it’s a great location for our employees to commute to work from other parts of the Denver metro area. Everyone in Westminster has been so helpful—from the Economic Development team to the Sales/Use Tax division—we are very grateful for all the support they have given our growing small business.
Learn more about Walter Composites here.
Learn more about the City’s resources for local businesses here.