On Jan. 4, Lawn & Landscape reported that Sutech Industries has relocated its manufacturing facility. The article erroneously reported that Sutech currently manufacturs Lawn-Boy lawn mowers. Lawn-Boy mowers are produced by The Toro Co. Lawn & Landscape regrets the error. The corrected article follows.
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GALESBURG, Ill. – Sutech Industries rang in 2006 with a new facility for the New Year. The lawn mower manufacturer relcoated from Aurora, Ill., to Galesburg, Ill., in late 2005. Galesburg is about 50 miles West of Peoria, Ill.
“We completed the physical move during the first week in October and then had the factory supervisor and other people from our plant in Aurora come down to train our new staff that month,” explains Terry Tulin, vice president of operations for the company. “We spent November and December shutting down production in Aurora and setting up parts, accessories and our other functions at the new facility.”
Tulin explains that Sutech’s parent company in China had purchased the Aurora plant when Sutech had additional facets to its business. When operations beyond lawn mower manufacturing spun off or closed, the facility became too big for the company’s needs.
“In addition to helping us adjust to a facility that better meets our needs, the Galesburg plant is located in a good area for us, with access to interstates and rail lines that will help us run an effective business,” Tulin says. “The building used to house a die-cast facility, so there’s plenty of large interior space for manufacturing and warehousing and shipping, as well as enough office space to house our staff, including the design and marketing teams.”
While most of Sutech’s employees stayed in Aurora rather than follow the company to the new location, Tulin says building a new production staff was not as difficult as it could have been. Two manufacturing facilities (Maytag and Butler Mfg.) both left the area in 2005, leaving several hundred skilled workers looking for jobs. Sutech’s manufacturing facility has been able to help a number of those workers find employment, allowing the company to start production in the new facility with hardly a hiccup.
For 2006, Sutech’s 10th anniversary year, Tulin says the company look forward to creating stronger relationships with its customers. “One New Year’s resolution we have is to improve communications,” he says. “We’re going to communicate better with our customers, dealers and distributors than we have been in recent years and continue to make improvements to our existing product line as we keep an eye out for other new opportunities.”