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PRAB Inc., a KMC Global company, is growing its manufacturing campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by purchasing existing manufacturing space and warehouse buildings across the street from the company’s current location. The additional space adds 159,000 square feet. The purchase of the new building also will enable the sales and engineering teams from all company divisions to operate under a single roof.

The original plant location, known now as Building One, will house some final assembly and shipping along with KMC Global corporate functions. The Fluid Filtration and Wastewater Treatment divisions will combine in Building Two with the team from Chip Systems and Conveyors for Die Cast and Stamping. The third campus building is currently being renovated to house the expansion of the company’s controls division.

Randy McBroom, vice president, 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 workflow and bring some outsourced functions in house.”

PRAB has seen an increased demand for its custom scrap metal and fluid filtration equipment due to the changing operating dynamics in major metalworking industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, construction equipment and off-road vehicle. For many years metalworking companies had long runs of the same part and the same material. Change-overs were measured in years and changes in material types where measured in multiple years. This model has shifted and the metalworking industry is adjusting to the changes by supporting smaller parts runs, more frequent changes in design and material type, formula changes in steel and aluminum, and the addition of hard-to-machine alloys such as titanium. These changes are coupled with the industry’s desire to improve productivity in all aspects of operations: machining processes, scrap metal and fluid recycling, and wastewater treatment and reuse.