ABOUT US / RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA
About
West River Labs.
West River Labs is a South Dakota-based technology and engineering company focused on developing practical solutions for real-world problems.
We bring together software development, engineering, automation, and process improvement to help turn ideas into working solutions. Whether that means developing a new application, designing an automated system, creating a custom 3D-printed component, or improving an existing manufacturing process, our focus is on building solutions that are practical, efficient, and designed around the problem at hand.
Our capabilities include software and application design and development, 3D modeling and printing, PLC programming, industrial automation engineering, calibration systems engineering, and Lean Six Sigma process improvement.
We believe some of the best solutions come from combining disciplines. Software can improve how manufacturing data is used. Automation can eliminate repetitive processes. 3D printing can turn a concept into a functional part. Process improvement can identify where technology will make the greatest impact.
At West River Labs, we don’t just develop technology—we use it to solve problems, improve processes, and bring new ideas to life.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Coby Turner
President/CEO
Coby Turner is the founder of West River Labs, a United States Marine Corps veteran, Automation Engineer, and software developer with a background in industrial automation, manufacturing technology, and process improvement.
His professional approach is rooted in the discipline, adaptability, and problem-solving mindset developed during his service in the Marine Corps. Throughout his career, Coby has carried those principles into engineering and technology, building a diverse skill set centered around solving real-world problems and finding better ways to get things done.
His experience spans industrial automation, PLC programming, machine integration, calibration systems engineering, 3D design and printing, software development, application design and development, and Lean Six Sigma process improvement. This combination of mechanical, electrical, automation, and software experience allows him to approach problems from multiple perspectives rather than being limited to a single discipline.
Coby is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Software Engineering, expanding his engineering background into modern software and application development. His work increasingly brings the two worlds together—from developing custom software and data tools to designing automated systems and improving manufacturing processes.
That multidisciplinary approach became the foundation for West River Labs.
Coby founded the company around a simple idea: identify a problem, understand how it works, and build a practical solution. Sometimes that solution is an application. Other times it’s a PLC program, an automated system, a redesigned process, or a custom-designed and 3D-printed component.
West River Labs provides a place to bring those disciplines together—combining engineering experience, software development, automation, and continuous improvement to take ideas from concept to working solutions.
For Coby, engineering isn’t defined by a particular tool or technology. It’s about understanding the problem, figuring out what can be done better, and building something that works.