PRAB expands Michigan plant

PRAB Inc., a manufacturer of equipment and systems for processing scrap metal, is expanding its Kalamazoo, Michigan, headquarters.

According to PRAB, the company purchased existing manufacturing space and warehouse buildings across from its current location. The new space will add 159,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity.

The company says the additional space will allow its sales and engineering teams to operate under a single roof. Under the new arrangement, PRAB’s Fluid Filtration and Wastewater Treatment divisions, along with its Chip Systems and Conveyors for Die Cast and Stamping, will operate in what PRAB is calling Building 2. The original plant location, known as Building 1, will house some final assembly and shipping, along with the corporate functions for KMC Global, PRAB’s parent company. The third campus building is currently being renovated to house the expansion of the company’s controls division.

In announcing the expansion, Randy McBroom, PRAB vice president of manufacturing, says, “Expanding our manufacturing and office space capacity solidifies our commitment to U.S. jobs in the state of Michigan and helps us improve work flow and bring some outsourced functions in house. This expansion allows us to meet the needs of our customers today and provides room for growth.”

Ned Thompson, PRAB president and CEO, says, “Our company has always served the unique needs of the industry; we partner with metalworking companies to engineer equipment that will solve their most difficult material handling challenges. The expansion of our manufacturing operations allows us to continue to provide best-in-class equipment and customer service.”

Other companies that are a part of the KMC Global include Hapman, which designs and builds conveying and bulk material handling equipment for dry bulk product handling; Kalamazoo Fabricating, the custom metal fabrication division of PRAB; OVibra, which manufactures material handling and screening equipment; STC Dip Spin, which manufactures standard and custom coating equipment for use in industrial parts manufacturing; Triple/S Dynamics, a manufacturer of conveying, screening and separating equipment for the processing industries; and CDM Systems, a manufacturer of en masse conveyors for heavy industrial and mining conveying.