It seems to happen whenever Rick Donahue, the CEO of Shor-Line, works his company’s booth at a trade show. A longtime veterinarian will wander up and brag that he’s still using the same Shor-Line surgery table or kennels that he bought some 30 to 40 years ago.

“We create products that last for the long run,” said Donahue, the grandson of company co-founder Karl Schroer. The Kansas City, Kan., company, launched in 1927, manufactures and sells tables, cages, kennels and related goods for vets, animal shelters, pet groomers and others in the animal care industry.

Shor-Line started when Karl and his brother, Gerhard, split off from their family’s metal fabrication business. They got the idea to serve the animal care business when one of Karl’s golfing buddies, who worked at an animal pharmaceutical company, mentioned there was an opportunity in creating instruments for veterinarians.

As American society has evolved, Shor-Line has endured by finding new ways to meet the market’s needs. For example, when more people started keeping cats and dogs as pets, there was more need for veterinarians who specialized in treating cats and dogs. And those small-animal vets needed equipment suited for their patients.

In recent decades, Shor-Line has succeeded by targeting new, associated customers like dog groomers, pet boarders and other associated customers.

While Shor-Line’s products are highly durable, the company is constantly looking for new ways to make them even more useful for customers.

Take the company’s stainless steel surgery table, one of its top sellers. Karl Schroer introduced the table decades ago, and he came up with one of its first upgrades. Inspired by the chair at his local barbershop, Schroer decided to add hydraulics to the table so its height was adjustable. And the company has just rolled out a new set of improvements. (See the photo at right!)

For Donahue, a 23-year veteran of Shor-Line, the best part of the business is making a tangible product that customers can rely on. “Through ingenuity and manufacturing expertise, we come up with an end product,” he said. “It’s enjoyable and satisfying.”

(photos courtesy of Shor-Line)