Granco Clark launched an expansion project to increase the capacity of its manufacturing facility in Belding, Michigan, in order to keep up with market demands and aluminum extrusion market growth.
“We have struggled for years with some good challenges, including manufacturing flow and floor space,” said Scott M. Biggs, marketing manger for Granco Clark. “Recently, with the surge in demand of aluminum extrusions, and therefore extrusion equipment, we saw a need to make a change to improve our capabilities and capacity. An onsite expansion in Michigan is the logical solution.”
The company will be adding 20,000 sq ft of manufacturing space to the northeast end of its campus, increasing the size of the facility by 50%. In the process, the project will provide an opportunity for the floorspace to be reconfigured for better material flow. The site’s CNC capabilities will be enhanced and machine assembly bays for efficient handling of multiple concurrent projects will be increased. Overhead crane systems will be installed to move equipment around on the floor and rack storage for equipment parts will be implemented. The location of the raw material receiving and stocking area, as well as the shipping area, will also be improved.
In addition, the additional space will enable the company to pre-assemble and wire its equipment, in order to perform testing and allow for final customer viewing prior to shipping. “This directly benefits our customers, the aluminum extruders, by significantly reducing the effort and resources needed to become production ready on their sites,” said Jeff Ferman, president and CEO of Granco Clark.
In their announcement, Granco Clark stated, “This expansion allows us the ability to grow and adapt with the market, with our partners, and is evidence of our continued dedication to providing leading technology, short lead times, and high-quality solutions from our single facility in Belding.”
The expansion project began on June 1st and is expected to be completed by October 31st, 2018.