Our History
THE CK STORY
Not Sorry Charlie.
In 1981, a midwest chemical salesman by the name of Charlie Kunkel quits his job to start selling and renting handmade power washers out of his garage. Charlie also started offering cleaning services to industrial businesses in Kansas City, Missouri.
– The first C K Product, designed by Charlie Kunkel III
– Founder of C K Enterprises, Charlie Kunkel III, circa 1983.
C K Enterprises, Inc.
The 1st Label.
The first C K Enterprises drum label was sold in 1982. It took Charlie a few weeks to realize he should probably steal it back for a business memento. So after his client had closed for the day, Charlie snuck around to the back of their warehouse, hopped over the fence, and carefully peeled off the label (below). The next day he framed it and hung it in his office.
Planting Seeds.
Charlie installs a pressurized cleaning system for Federal Express’ fleet of vehicles using the knowledge he gained from building his first power washer. It worked so well other Federal Express locations start requesting it. This consistent stream of revenue quickly allows Charlie to build a new pressure washer and hire a few employees. Also allowing him to find his first office located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Advancement.
The company hires its 5th, 6th, & 7th employees.
Hard Work Pays Off.
With production growing at steady pace, the company purchases their first semi-truck for chemical deliveries.
The Food Plant King.
Ed brings his disputed knowledge of food plant sanitation to help expand the food plant division. In three years, the company went from cleaning one food plant client to cleaning ten.
Family Matters.
Top 10 Small Business of the Year.
C K Enterprises gets named in the Top 10 Small businesses of the year by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
Movin’ on Up.
Surpassing 75 full-time employees, C K Enterprises moves into a new facility located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
With a new and improved HQ, the company is able to handle more production. Having a bigger facility allows the company to expand the private labeling division, led by the new Chief Chemist, Steve Kimball.
The C K Car Wash Division.
The company hires Steve Harms and Rick Carver, two experts in the Car Wash Chemical Industry, to take the C K Car Wash division to the national level. Rick and Steve help formulate the Signature Series product line to target national car wash distributors.
As it stands today, C K supplies chemicals to over 500 car washes across the world.
The C K Industrial Division.
C K hires Larry LaMarr to lead the C K Industrial Division. Working closely with Charlie and Steve, they develop a new product line and begin growing the business on a national level. The company reaches 150 full-time employees.
The C K Print & Design Division.
Former C K employee, Katie Belluchi, comes back to lead the expansion of the C K Print & Design Division. Her main goals are to expand label printing and go after external clients, establish a large format printing business to augment the C K Car Wash division, and streamline internal processes for growth.
A New Way Home.
After seeing steady growth each year, C K quickly outgrows the Lee’s Summit plant. In 2018, they move to a campus on 25 acres located in Lone Jack, Missouri. It holds 5 warehouses, a chemistry lab, a main office building, and a maintenance building. C K now employs 250 people full-time.
Grow This Way.
The C K Print & Design Division begins to grow quickly under Katie’s leadership. From April 2019 to November 2020 the team prints over 2,000,000 labels. Additionally, they become the go-to printer and designer for many local Kansas City breweries.
Boom Goes the Graphics.
In 2019, the company acquires BOOM Graphics, a small shop that specializes in printing graphics for RC, Motocross, and Supercross Racing events. C K hires the owners, Mike & Britani Garrison, allowing them to expand their printing business to stickers, decals, trophies, and apparel.
More New Things.
In 2020, they add a large format printer, a new label finisher, and a t-shirt printer, allowing them to design and print pretty much anything a small business might need–large signs, window decals, car wraps, stickers, business cards, art prints–you name it, they can probably print it.
C K Enterprises
The 1st Label.
The first C K Enterprises drum label was sold in 1982. It took Charlie a few weeks to realize he should probably steal it back for a business memento. So after his client had closed for the day, Charlie snuck around to the back of their warehouse, hopped over the fence, and carefully peeled off the label (below). The next day he framed it and hung it in his office.
Planting Seeds.
Charlie installs a pressurized cleaning system for Federal Express’ fleet of vehicles using the knowledge he gained from building his first power washer. It worked so well other Federal Express locations start requesting it. This consistent stream of revenue quickly allows Charlie to build a new pressure washer and hire a few employees. Also allowing him to find his first office located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Advancement.
The company hires its 5th, 6th, & 7th employees.
Hard Work Pays Off.
With production growing at steady pace, the company purchases their first semi-truck for chemical deliveries.
The Food Plant King.
Ed brings his disputed knowledge of food plant sanitation to help expand the food plant division. In three years, the company went from cleaning one food plant client to cleaning ten.
Family Matters.
Top 10 Small Business of the Year.
C K Enterprises gets named in the Top 10 Small businesses of the year by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
Movin’ on Up.
Surpassing 75 full-time employees, C K Enterprises moves into a new facility located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
With a new and improved HQ, the company is able to handle more production. Having a bigger facility allows the company to expand the private labeling division, led by the new Chief Chemist, Steve Kimball.
The CK Car Wash Division.
The company hires Steve Harms and Rick Carver, two experts in the Car Wash Chemical Industry, to take the C K Car Wash division to the national level. Rick and Steve help formulate the Signature Series product line to target national car wash distributors.
As it stands today, CK supplies chemicals to over 500 car washes across the world.
The CK Industrial Division.
The company hires Larry LaMarr to lead the C K Industrial Division. Working closely with Charlie and Steve, they develop a new product line and begin growing the business on a national level. The company reaches 150 full-time employees.
The CK Print & Design Division.
Former C K employee, Katie Belluchi, comes back to lead the expansion of the C K Print & Design Division. Her main goals are to expand label printing and go after external clients, establish a large format printing business to augment the C K Car Wash division, and streamline internal processes for growth.
A New Way Home.
After seeing steady growth each year, C K quickly outgrows the Lee’s Summit plant. In 2018, they move to a campus on 25 acres located in Lone Jack, Missouri. It holds 5 warehouses, a chemistry lab, a main office building, and a maintenance building. C K now employs 250 people full-time.
Grow This Way.
The C K Print & Design Division begins to grow quickly under Katie’s leadership. From April 2019 to November 2020 the team prints over 2,000,000 labels. Additionally, they become the go-to printer and designer for many local Kansas City breweries.
Boom Goes the Graphics.
In 2019, the company acquires BOOM Graphics, a small shop that specializes in printing graphics for RC, Motocross, and Supercross Racing events. C K hires the owners, Mike & Britani Garrison, allowing them to expand their printing business to stickers, decals, trophies, and apparel.
More New Things.
In 2020, they add a large format printer, a new label finisher, and a t-shirt printer, allowing them to design and print pretty much anything a small business might need–large signs, window decals, car wraps, stickers, business cards, art prints–you name it, they can probably print it.
