Posted March 21, 2011
Engis Corp. announces expansion
Engis Corporation announced expansion plans that will nearly double the size of its world headquarters in Wheeling, Ill.
The provider of superabrasive finishing solutions for lapping, honing, polishing and grinding, will expand its state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehouse facilities and create space for the new Engis Technology Center.
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| Engis announced plans for a 54, 000-sq.-ft. expansion, shown here in an architectural rendering. |
The 54,000-sq.-ft., multi-million-dollar expansion will bring total space to 121,500 sq. ft. and enable the company to consolidate all engineering, process development labs, manufacturing, warehousing and administrative offices into a single facility. In conjunction with this project, Engis will add new manufacturing, process development and testing and measurement equipment. Construction will start in April and be complete by fall of 2011.
"This expansion demonstrates our long-term commitment to customers as a leading-edge provider of superabrasive solutions," said Stephen Griffin, president of Engis Corporation. "For example, new automated manufacturing equipment will enable us to increase our ability to support global markets, while the Engis Technology Center will enhance our capability to develop turnkey manufacturing solutions. It also demonstrates our commitment to keep and generate future jobs in Wheeling and in the United States."
Engis is a provider of micronized diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN) powders, slurries, compounds, grinding wheels, machine tools and accessories.
Customer-Focused Labs
The cornerstone of the expansion project will be the new Engis Technology Center, where the company works hand-in-hand with customers to finish components to nanometer tolerances and achieve mirror surfaces. The Center will house five labs:
- The Process Development Lab (PDL), which provides assistance for general industrial lapping and polishing inquires.
- The Wafer Process Lab (WPL), which serves the advanced material and compound semiconductor markets.
- The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Lab, which focuses on the needs of the data storage industry.
- The Diamond Characterization Lab (DCL), which also includes the Engis' Metrology (measurement) Lab.
- The Bore Finishing Lab (BFL), which works closely with customers on honing and bore finishing applications in the automotive, hydraulic, medical, advanced ceramic, compressor, aerospace and defense industries.
"Consolidating all the labs in one location will enable us to concentrate our engineering resources and enhance our customer service activities," said Griffin.
Engis currently leases space for some of its process labs and other activities at a nearby location. All of these operations will be incorporated into the new expansion.
