Merrill Steel: A ‘dream come true’ for Camanche

CAMANCHE, Iowa — “We are the backbone of buildings.” That — in a single, short sentence — describes much of the work behind the company Merrill Steel Complex Fabrication, according to Greg Rajek, plant manager of Merrill’s new plant in Camanche. That plant, which employs about 34 people and plans to employ a total of about 100 workers more in the coming months, was the center of a community grand opening celebration on Thursday, Nov. 9. More than 100 people from Merrill Steel and the local business community gathered at the plant’s new Camanche location at 2011 Seventh Ave. The site is the former home of TMK IPSCO facility. The celebration marked Merrill’s recent move to Camanche, and its recently announced plans for an $18.3 million expansion that will create another 94 jobs (with wages of about $19.57 per hour) in the community. Merrill, a leading supplier of steel and heavy plate fabrication, plans to expand structural steel fabrication operations into Camanche, where it currently leases space, with the purchase and redevelopment of an existing facility. This fall, the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board awarded $800,000 to the third-generation family business to assist with the expansion project.

“This whole thing is a dream come true. … This is a huge asset and a huge feather in the cap for Camanche,” Andy Sokolovich, president and CEO of Grow Clinton, the region’s business advocacy group, said at the grand opening celebration. That event was scheduled to feature a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome Merrill to the region. But, Mr. Sokolovich and other Grow Clinton officials soon discovered the company likes to put its own touch on such traditions. In this case, the ceremonial ribbon was replaced by a steel band that was cut with an acetylene torch by Merrill President Fred Schwalbach. “This place felt right. This community felt right. … There is something special about this piece of earth,” said Mr. Schwalbach during the celebration, adding the company looks “forward to bringing this community into the (Merrill) circle.” Community members praised the company’s decision to move to Camanche, as Merrill officials called Camanche a perfect fit for its expansion plans. Camanche is great for the company because the city “offers the best in small-town living to all who treasure its ‘hometown’ charm. Located on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River, Camanche boasts a thriving local school system, friendly neighbors, and an abundance of recreational activities to satisfy all who live and play here. Couple that with Camanche’s proximity to Clinton, and residents are able to participate in all the events and activities of a larger community, while still living the small-town life,” according to Merrill’s company website. Another big part of that perfect fit is the Camanche-Clinton area workforce. “This area has an A-plus workforce. It’s been great,” said Janice King-Nelson, Merrill’s corporate recruiter, who added that many additional employees are expected to begin work at the new Camanche plant today, Nov. 27. That expanded workforce will help Merrill’s mission of providing fabricated steel assemblies for large stadiums, arenas and structures, such as Lambeau Field. The company also is preparing to provide the steel for a new Microsoft data center that will provide services such as the Microsoft cloud — a system to store and manage data, run applications and deliver content and services. “The cloud is actually made of steel, who knew?” joked Mr. Schwalbach during the celebration. The Camanche plant will begin providing that Microsoft facility steel in January, Mr. Rajek said. The plant manager added that he has been pleased with his first few weeks in Camanche and has found the community very welcoming oft him and Merrill. Other company leaders also added they are pleased that the community likes the new business neighbor because there are a lot of big projects and big expectations for the plant in the coming months. The steel to build and rebuild many projects across the nation will come from Camanche, several company officials said. “This plant will be the workhorse of the company,” said Andrew Hurbner, vice president of sales/estimating for Merrill.

AT A GLANCE: Merrill Steel Complex Fabrication

History: In 1962, Roger W. Hinner purchased a 5,000-square-foot foundry located in what was known as “Tannery Town” in Merrill, Wisconsin. Merrill Steel’s primary business was the fabrication of steel bulk storage bins for local farming operations. With a customer- driven company culture, Merrill Steel quickly grew to satisfy commercial agricultural needs across the Midwest. In 2006, the 160,000-square-foot ACME structural steel facility in Springfield, Missouri, was acquired by Merrill and continued to fuel expansion into new markets, particularly projects requiring plate-work. Today, under the direction of Merrill President Fred Schwalbach and with experienced team members, Merrill Steel primarily serves a large-scale, diverse customer base, assists with LEED certification goals where needed, and maintains a pulse on the emerging needs of the steel industry. Merrill facilities: The company has a total of three facilities: a plant in Schofield, Wisconsin; one in Springfield, Missouri; and its newest facility in Camanche, Iowa. Its main facility is located at 900 Alderson St., Schofield. With the addition of Camanche, Merrill Steel now has nearly one million square feet of combined production space. Workforce: About 480 employees across its three facilities including 34 employees in Camanche, where more will be hired in the coming months. Projects: Merrill Steel fabricates steel assemblies for large stadiums, arenas and structures such as Lambeau Field, Miller Park, the Resch Center, Camp Randall Stadium, Soldier Field, U.S. Bank Stadium, Fiserv Forum, Orlando International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Tyson Events Center, Kansas City Wizards Stadium, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Citizens Bank Park, Detroit Events Center, and the University of Notre Dame. “From stadiums and arenas to hospitals and skyscrapers, our complex structural steel and plate fabrications are the backbones of many massive projects all over the country,” Merrill Steel’s website states. Specialties: Structural steel, plate fabrication, industrial ductwork, commercial, industrial, arena, engineering, paint application, fireproofing, logistics, complex fabrication and megastructures. Contact: info@merrillsteel.com, (715) 393-4100 or by mail, 900 Alderson St., Schofield, WI 54476. Its website is merrillsteel.com. Source: Merrillsteel.com