16 minute read
Hands-On Fabrication
Hands-On Hands-On Hands-On Fabrication Fabrication Fabrication
by Matthew Petillo, photos by Steven Hertzog
Advertisement
Metal is an essential part of daily life and integrating new technology into the manufacturing process is giving the industry a boost.
Manufacturing is the backbone of America’s economy. That’s not industry speaking, it’s a hard fact.
There’s no place this is more prevalent in manufacturing than in those that require the skilled, blue-collar trades: welding, metal fabrication and metal manufacturing. Many of the metal products you see assembled in shops, and homes, and on the backs of cars in Lawrence were not developed in Iowa or Michigan or overseas, but right here in Lawrence. Because of our vibrant business scene, not just in consumer goods but in industrial pieces, often businesses and consumers don’t have to leave the city limits to find what they’re looking for.
Bending Metal
Jonah Seibel, owner of Seibel Fabrication, owns one of those manufacturing shops. Located in North Lawrence in a small warehouse, the shop is a jack of all trades.
“We fabricate custom pieces for clients, so mostly architectural stuff like railings and staircases,” Seibel explains. “Structural stuff, but we’re also sort of the village blacksmith, and we fix things that are broken.” He says he got his start in this business not because of a personal interest but because of his friends in high school. “My friends were doing welding in high school, [and] I wanted to do stuff that they were doing,” Seibel says. “So I took a welding class in high school … and it was one of the few, that class and drafting class, which I still use that obviously, in this business, were the two classes in high school that I really enjoyed. So after high school, I got a job at a local welding company and … learned how to do things quicker, where you could actually make a living doing it.” He says he could have made more money at McDonald’s, but he still enjoyed doing the job. After that job, he went through another shop and a stint in carpentry before opening up Seibel Fabrication. Seibel came back to the industry, he says, because he enjoys playing with metal. “I mean, there’s a lot of people doing wood, so it’s something that’s less common, and you get a lot more design freedom with metal,” he explains. “You can do things that you can’t do with other materials, which I
Seibel Fabrication is an eclectic work space for Jonah to be creative
Welding inside the Eagle Trailer Co warehouse
really enjoy. So it allows you a lot of design freedom. I guess I’m just kind of a maker by nature.” Another manufacturing company in Lawrence that is slightly more specialized but nonetheless important is Eagle Trailer Co. Started in 1983, president Kevin Frederickson says operating for this long is hard for a company. “Most companies just last 2½ to three years,” Frederickson says. “Sixteen [to] 17% don’t make it to eight years. Two percent make it just 20 years.” Eagle Trailer Co. makes and repairs trailers for shops and people across the Midwest. Frederickson says his company repairs trailers quickly and gets a lot of business because of that. “We repair trailers for individuals and companies from Kansas City because our prices are low, and we do it so quickly,” he says. “We turn it around usually within 24 hours.”
Technology in the Sector
Despite still being a job that is mostly done by hand, new technology is starting to play a big part in the manufacturing sector. Integrating technology into the daily process of the production of metal objects or even putting the technology inside the objects is moving the industry forward. With Seibel’s job, he gets to play with a lot of expensive equipment. Other than welding equipment, forklifts in the middle of a small warehouse and several nice pieces of machinery, the biggest and perhaps most expensive piece of machinery in the building is a plasma cutter. He says because of costs, that’s likely the biggest piece of machinery he’s getting for a while. “There is some really amazing technology in the industry right now, but it’s so expensive that it’s kind of exclusive to … bigger companies,” Seibel explains. “You could go spend $10 million … no problem on machinery. It’s a scale that most smaller companies are not going to get to, … at least not anytime soon.” However, the plasma cutter is helping him create more elaborate designs and more accurate pieces, such as a piece for The Raven Book Store downtown. Although Seibel acknowledges it is an extremely useful piece of equipment, it is quite hard to use.
“Well, if everything goes right, yes. It’s kind of like a fickle printer,” he says. “It’ll have different problems all the time. It took a long time to figure it out because there’s different parameters it has to know. Everything’s going to change depending on what you’re cutting. If you’re cutting … half-inch-thick steel, the settings on the machine are quite a bit different than if you’re cutting something superthin like 18-gauge” Integrating technology into the equipment can be hard to do. A company has to make sure everything lines up perfectly, and every last bit of it works before shipping it to the customer. Eagle Trailer Co. has been working to do that to make driving their trailers safer. Frederickson says an automatic break system the company has started to integrate helps the driver regain control of the trailer. “The analog brake system is just a unit that’s bought separate as an optional part,” Frederickson says. “It’s put on a trailer, and it’s hooked up to the brakes. And if the trailer starts to sway, the sway is detected, and then brakes are applied individually and done in such a way that reduces the sway of the trailer so that the operator can slow down and regain and maintain control.”
Working with Customers
Meeting customers’ needs is hard work, as is making sure things are available and ready to go when a customer needs it—it’s one of the most important aspects of a business. It’s even more important when most of your customers are other businesses. Siegel Fabrication doesn’t just make things out of metal; the company also does wholesale of metal parts, such as beams. Siegel says most people who buy from him are not random individuals off the street but contractors who need somewhere to buy metal at wholesale prices. “We do metal sales as an important part because there’s not really a good supplier of metal in town. So we just buy stuff, and people come in and just buy it from me,” Siegel says. “[Retail stores] have a very small amount, and it’s very overpriced. It’s much cheaper to come here and get it, and we can also cut it to length for you.” Eagle Trailer Co. prides itself on quick turnarounds for its customers. Frederickson says his employees work fast, making sure orders get out to customers quickly. “Just a few years ago, we got a trailer order in,” he says. “And it was a big 20-foot trailer, and it weighed probably 3000 pounds, and it would carry 10,000 pounds. We got that order Monday morning, and the customer came and picked it up on Wednesday. That’s an incredibly quick turnaround. And that’s one of the most important things to customers is availability.” However, Frederickson adds, the last couple years have been hard to keep up with because of pandemic staffing issues. Training takes time because of the industry. There’s a reason there are whole technical college degrees for welding. “The last two years has just been terrible, because we just can’t do [quick turnarounds],” Frederickson explains. “Because … the worst workforce and shortages and things like that. But I hope to get back to that someday.”
Looking to the Future
The manufacturing sector grew 2.5% in January 2022, the smallest growth in manufacturing since the beginning of the economic recovery in March 2021, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s all manufacturing, not just big manufacturers. Kansas is one of the few states that had a compound annual growth rate (the mean annual growth rate of an investment over a specified period of time longer than one year) above 2% between 2009 and 2019. This is not because of big manufacturers primarily but because of small manufacturers doing small-time jobs for local businesses. This sector is going to continue to grow because of the strength of
small businesses serving their local communities. p
VANGO
Mural
THE CHAMBER
Ribbon Cuttings
Brandi Ogunnowo joins CEK Insurance
CEK Insurance, Lawrence’s oldest independent insurance agency, is proud to announce that Brandi Ogunnowo has joined the team. Brandi, a Lawrence native, began her insurance career in 2007 and is a Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR). She was awarded the 10 years of Excellence Award from The Society of Certified Insurance Service Representatives. Brandi is passionate about providing the best service possible. In her free time, she enjoys home renovation shows and spending time with her husband Kenny and their son Rocco.
Meritrust Credit Union announces promotion of Shania Lamm to Private Banking Officer
Meritrust Credit Union is pleased to announce Shania Lamm as Private Banking Officer for Meritrust Lawrence. With six years of experience in both personal and commercial banking, she brings an expertise to the unique needs of Lawrence’s affluent membership. Lamm’s passion for helping her members optimize their financial lives is what drives her to be on-call and available in all service capacities, bypassing the need for Private Banking members to step foot into a branch. “As a solid relationship-builder, her focus will be on growing our connection with the Lawrence market’s Private Banking membership,” says Cole Shaffer, Private Banking Market Manager. “Shania will provide tailored lending and deposit solutions to the credit union’s high-net-worth members, all while offering concierge-level service.” Lamm appreciates her Private Banking membership’s dedication to and concern for community. She’s proud to be able to, in turn, serve their financial needs with the exceptional concierge experience they deserve. “I’m really looking forward to providing top-tier service and being available to cater solutions to our members’ specific situations,” says Lamm.
Meritrust Credit Union celebrates promotion of Danielle Bishop to Assistant Retail Manager
As Assistant Retail Manager of Lawrence Meritrust, Danielle Bishop will leverage her knowledge of Meritrust products and services to mentor her teammates and help guide the financial well-being of her members. “Danielle joined the team in 2017 and has been championing the best interests of our members ever since,” says Jennifer Breitenfeldt, Lawrence branch Retail Manager. “With each member interaction, she brings enthusiasm and a desire to learn how she can best serve their banking needs, and I’m looking forward to seeing her grow her leadership and dedication even more in the new role.” Bishop’s deep respect and admiration for Lawrence stems in part from the #RiseLawrence movement. “Lawrence is all about supporting local and banding together as a community,” says Bishop. “I can’t wait to dive deeper into building relationships and help our members become financially stronger.”
Winter Family Fund Supports Communities In Schools of Mid-America
Communities In Schools of Mid-America® (CIS of Mid-America™) is pleased to announce it has received a $5,000 award from the Winter Family Fund. The funds will be used to support CIS of Mid-America programming at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence, KS. The mission of the Winter Family Fund is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of at-risk and vulnerable populations with an emphasis on at-risk and vulnerable children and families. Activities funded by the grant include providing whole-school and individual student supports at Prairie Park Elementary School in Lawrence, KS.
Peaslee Tech Executive Director, Dr. Kevin Kelley, announced today that Andrea Chavez has joined Peaslee Tech as the Executive Director of Grants and Administration. Peaslee has developed strong relations with Douglas County organizations as a reliable provider of training programs and consulting services. Over the past few years, Peaslee Tech has provided training to hundreds of company’s employees in a wide array of programs, from frontline leadership to robotics. Andrea brings many years of experience working in the non-profit arena – with a focus on Administration, operations and the execution of grants. Prior to joining the team at Peaslee Tech, she worked for Communities In Schools of Mid-America as their Director of Administration. Born and raised in Douglas County, Andrea is dedicated to helping Douglas County continue to grow economically and bring Lawrence and Douglas County businesses together with the community and its members. Located at 2920 Haskell Avenue, Peaslee Tech’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth by providing access to technical training to a diverse community of learners to meet the current and emerging needs of our communities and employers. Peaslee Tech offers a wide range of technical and technology courses. Community members may contribute to Peaslee Tech by mailing a check to 2920 Haskell Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66046 or by credit card at 785-856-1801. As Peaslee Tech is a not-for-profit organization, your donation is tax deductible.
Steve Willett Joins Allen Press as Sales Executive
Allen Press, Inc. is pleased to announce Steve Willett has joined its team as Sales Executive. Willett will focus primarily on sales development of scholarly publishing services. Willett is an experienced online and print publishing expert who comes to Allen Press with extensive knowledge of XML-based publishing workflow solutions and how to leverage them to meet fast-changing publishing needs. “Steve’s industry knowledge and decades of experience make him an excellent addition to our scholarly publishing services team,” said Mark Kohlhase, Allen Press CEO. “He’s dedicated to customer service, understands clients’ needs and how to meet them by creating streamlined workflows and other custom solutions. This will be invaluable as the publishing ecosystem continues to evolve.” “I look forward to working with scholarly clients to leverage the impressive systems, services, and solutions Allen Press has to offer, which includes website and composition template design, association management, peer review, composition, online hosting, and printing,” Willett adds.
EnvistaCares Challenge Helps to Raise $153,879 in 2021
Each month the EnvistaCares Challenge provides one local organization a one-month media package valued at more than $10,000, a $2,500 challenge gift and a video for the organization to use to share their story during and after the challenge. The EnvistaCares Challenge gift is a dollarfor-dollar match, up to $2,500. During 2021, the community gave $126,063 to ten different organizations to secure the EnvistaCares Challenge match of $2,500 for each organization. In total, $153,879 was raised in 2021 to help local organizations in Lawrence, Topeka and Hutchinson. Lawrence 2021 EnvistaCares Challenge: Theatre Lawrence: The community gave $32,743 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Theatre Lawrence with a total of $35,243. O’Connell Youth Ranch: The community gave $2,500 and Envista matched $2,500 providing O’Connell Youth Ranch with a total of $5,000. Lawrence Habitat for Humanity: The community gave $2,800 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Lawrence Habitat for Humanity with a total of $5,300. Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade: The community gave $9,249 and Envista matched $2,500 providing Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade with a total of $11,749.
The Trust Company of Kansas Announces Christopher English as Chairman of the Board along with other Promotions and new Hires. Christopher M. English, C.T.F.A. – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
In addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer, Chris has taken on the role of Chairman of the Board at The Trust Company of Kansas. Since assuming a leadership role in November 2020, he has led TCK in successfully managing over $1 billion in assets under management.
Teresa Akers – Vice President & Trust Officer
Teresa has been promoted to Vice President & Trust Officer. She will be responsible for the administration of a variety of account relationships – agencies, guardianships, revocable and irrevocable trusts, individual retirement accounts, and other types of fiduciary accounts in our Lawrence market. In this role, she will continue to work closely with Chief Executive Officer, Christopher English
Jennifer Moore – Vice Presidenvt & Trust Officer
Jennifer has been promoted to Vice President & Trust Officer. She will be responsible for the administration of a variety of account relationships – agencies, guardianships, revocable and irrevocable trusts, individual retirement accounts, and other types of fiduciary accounts in our Lawrence market. In this role, she will continue to work closely with Senior Vice President & Trust Officer, Daniel Brogren.
Lee Anne Thompson – Vice President & Employee Benefit Officer
Lee Anne Thompson has been promoted to Vice President & Employee Benefit Officer. She assists TCK’s Administrators with the technical and administrative functions regarding ERISA plan administration for 401(k), Profit Sharing and Defined Contribution Defined Benefit Plans, and SIMPLE IRA Plans. Lee Anne’s knowledge and expertise allows her to best design effective retirement planning strategies on behalf of our clients.
Chris Davis – Vice President & Trust Officer
Chris joined The Trust Company of Kansas as Vice President & Trust Officer in December 2021. He will focus on business development and new growth opportunities in our Lawrence market.
Mindy Mesler – Trust Administrator
Mindy joined The Trust Company of Kansas in January 2022 after a successful career as an administrative assistant in the field of education. With her excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, Mindy will assist Chris English, Teresa Akers, and Jennifer Moore with the administration of their books of trust business and business development efforts in our Lawrence market.
WHOSE DESK?
Be the first to correctly guess which local business figure works behind this desk. Winner receives a $50 gift card to 23rd Street Brewery. facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine
