The Economy

Metal Fabricator's New Digs Provide Ample Room for Growth

April 21, 2011

AMECO recently moved into a 51,000-square-foot facility in Cleveland.

AMECO USA looked at several dozen facilities in the Cleveland area before deciding on its new home near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. But it's easy to see why the facility on West 160th Street was a no-brainer for the Cleveland-based custom metal fabricator.

"It's set up for metal fabricating," explained Thomas McLaughlin, company vice president. The 51,000-square-foot facility boasts 50-ton in-house lifting capacity, oversized factory doors, and equipment that enables AMECO to provide more services, including heavy custom fabricating, CNC punching and forming. "It gave us a nice well-rounded fabrication facility," McLaughlin said.

AMECO USA, a custom metal fabricator, recently moved into a 51,000-square-foot facility on the west side of Cleveland.
With the move, the job shop added 11 new positions to its existing workforce of six people, and McLaughlin noted that AMECO likely will need to add several more people in the coming months. AMECO also employs a small workforce at a 12,000-square-foot facility in Elyria, about a half-hour west of Cleveland. Before the move, AMECO had been leasing space and subcontracting a lot of its work. But the arrangement offered little room for growth, and the company had to say no to some jobs because it wasn't always cost-effective, McLaughlin said. With 51,000 square feet and approximately 5 acres of land, the new facility provides plenty of room for growth. It might be needed sooner rather than later. McLaughlin noted that "business has picked up," and AMECO also is seeing an uptick in the number of request for quotes. "We're optimistic," McLaughlin said. "It feels like the economy is recovering."

The facility came with equipment that enables AMECO to provide more services, including heavy custom fabricating, CNC punching and forming.AMECO designs and builds fabricated and machined engineered metal components that are used in applications and industries such as power generation, pollution control, wastewater treatment, aerospace/defense, chemical processing and bridge construction. The company also offers engineering and design applications such as stay-cable bridge suspensions systems. AMECO fabricated many of the stainless steel support components for the recently completed Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge in San Diego. McLaughlin noted that the company sees growth potential in several areas, especially the power-generation and thermal-processing equipment markets. But with more space, more equipment and more staff, just about every market that AMECO serves can be viewed as a growth opportunity. "We've become a little more aggressive [in soliciting business] across the board, because now we feel that we can do business in some other markets that we knew we couldn't before," McLaughlin said.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.