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| Tigercat Expands Manufacturing Capacity |
With the acquisition of three former steel fabrication facilities, Tigercat significantly expands manufacturing capacity and seeks greater manufacturing efficiencies.PARIS, ON, December 3, 2003 - In the wake of steadily growing demand for Tigercat equipment in North American and international markets, Tigercat has made a move to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity by acquiring three facilities from associated suppliers MacDonald Steel and Manufacturers Metalfab. The acquisition will have a number of positive effects. Floor space available for the assembly of Tigercat machines will be greatly expanded. The assembly of skidders and forwarders are already being relocated to one of the newly acquired fabrication plants formerly occupied by Metalfab. The location, in nearby Cambridge, is significantly larger than the Brantford facility. The move will reduce lead time for steel fabrications and eliminate transport costs of these bulky steel components from one plant to another. Skidder frames, grapple tongs and cabs will be fabricated and and welded in one bay and assembled into finished machines in an adjacent bay. Our manufacturing efficiency will be considerably enhanced," says plant manager, Martin Jennings. By freeing up the former skidder assembly facility, a dedicated plant will be available for loader assembly, one of Tigercat's fastest growing product lines. "With the addition of the 220 and 244 models plus the strong demand for the 230 and 240 series loaders, we simply need more space," comments Jennings. "The dedicated loader facility will give us the space required to ramp up production to the levels dictated by current market demands." Finally, floor space available for track feller buncher assembly, which was formerly shared with the loader group, will also be increased as a result of the relocation of the loader line. With the acquisition, not only will Tigercat staff be more involved with one of the most important inputs, steel fabrications. Tigercat will also acquiring equipment and expertise that is in some cases unique to the industry. "MacDonald Steel has made extensive investment in its fabricating technology with laser and plasma cutters, massive boring mills and robotic welders. This puts Tigercat in a strong position," explains Jennings. "Organizational and operational efficiencies will be realized." The acquisition will increase Tigercat's workforce from approximately 260 to over 600 people and will add nearly 400,000 sq. ft. (37,000 m2) of floor space. About TigercatTigercat Industries designs and manufactures premium quality forestry and off-road equipment with manufacturing facilities in Canada and Sweden and world-wide distribution. Tigercat and the Tigercat logo are registered trademarks of Tigercat Industries Inc. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2001-2004 Tigercat Industries Inc.# # # Contact:Paul Iarocci, Tigercat Industries Inc. |
