15.02.2006

JLG to re open facility

JLG has announced plans to reopen a 31,000 square metre (340,000sq ft) ex Gradall facility in Orrville, Ohio, which it closed in 2003.

The building will house the telehandler engineering group and component production that is currently located at the Gradall excavator plant in New Philadelphia, Ohio, along with JLG’s North American replacement parts operation, which is currently located in McConnelsburg.


The New Philadelphia plant, was recently sold along with the excavator product line. see vertikal.net Feb 6

This move is intended to improve the utilisation of the company’s production space and increase manufacturing capacity. The space in McConnellsburg currently occupied by the parts department will be turned over to production.

In addition to normal market led capacity constraints, the recently completed telehandler deal with Caterpillar also demands more space. JLG expects the reopening, moving and reconfiguration costs to be in the region of $11 million.

“The relocation of our parts distribution center will improve our operational efficiency and allow us to better serve our customer’s needs,” said Bill Lasky, chairman, president and chief executive officer.

“The Orrville facility provides added capacity to meet today’s strong demand with room to expand for the future as well as access to good transportation and an experienced work force. Along with reopening our Sunnyside facility in Bedford, Pennsylvania, the sale of the facility in New Philadelphia and the capacity investments we are making, by the end of this fiscal year, we will have the capacity to support more than 50 percent higher production with the same basic manufacturing footprint we had at the end of the previous year.”

“The State of Ohio worked diligently with us in this initiative that will create approximately 150 new jobs and retain 130 other jobs. We are grateful for the economic assistance and financial incentives”

The Orrville plant was acquired with the purchase of Gradall and previoulsy housed Gradall telehandler production. In 2003 JLG moved production of these products to McConnlesburg as part of its rationalisation and integration programme, after having acquired the Gradall, Lull and Skytrack telehandler product ranges.