FRANKLIN, WI--(Marketwire - Oct 2, 2012) - Construction of a 35,000-square-foot plant addition has significantly boosted Steele Solutions' capacity to manufacture mezzanines and other steel structures for use in distribution centers, warehouses, factories and other commercial and military settings throughout the world.
"We're now able to do more, for more customers in more markets," said Kevin O'Neill, vice president for sales and marketing at Steele Solutions, based in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin.
With the addition, Steele Solutions now has nearly 80,000 square feet of plant and office space.
"We increased our capacity 60 to 70 percent," O'Neill said. "The addition also allowed us to streamline the flow of operations, upgrade equipment, and add a powder paint line."
The powder coat paint line is a major contributor to the streamlined mezzanine manufacturing process, and to quality, O'Neill added.
The paint line can handle beams more than 40 feet long, efficiently applying a baked-on color coating that is highly durable and consistent.
"This powder paint line disproves the industry myth that urethane painting is superior for mezzanines and other steel structures," O'Neill said. "We've shown that powder painting provides a superior sheen, durability and color consistency."
An additional advantage of the powder line is the reduced environmental impact, as compared to urethane paint lines and their associated emissions.
Steele Solutions upgraded several pieces of CNC machinery as part of the expansion project. That includes a new press brake, allowing the company to fabricate mezzanines and other steel structures more quickly without sacrificing high quality.
"The machinery upgrades increased our efficiency 10-fold in those areas of manufacturing," O'Neill said.
The entire layout of the plant was reconfigured to provide a more efficient flow of materials for mezzanines. There are now separate interior receiving and shipping areas, and shipping is recorded on video as an additional quality control measure.
The addition included a storage mezzanine the company built for itself.
The company has seen a steady increase in national and international business over the last several years. Along with U.S. installations, the company has recently shipped mezzanines to Uruguay, Paraguay, Germany, Afghanistan, Qatar, Australia and the island nation of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean.
Steele Solutions, based in metropolitan Milwaukee, designs and manufactures steel structures, including mezzanines, equipment platforms, towers, catwalks, crossovers, stairways, safety gates and rails, and other accessories. The structures are used in the material handling, distribution and warehousing sectors, as well as in other industrial, commercial and military settings. Steele Solutions works through a nationwide network of dealers, and has installations in all 50 states and in several other countries. Steele Solutions is privately owned. The company also has offices in the Cleveland and Philadelphia areas.
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Kevin O'Neill