Since the plan for a new Brawler facility at Southgate Meadows is in the very early stages, a very basic design was shown to the Economic Development Council Thursday.
With some simple graphics and a warehouse of busy employees, Brawler’s Kent Metzger, left, and Jennifer Simonsen present their case as to why Brawler wants and needs to expand their manufacturing facilities. (Star photo by Steve Allison)
Members of the Miles City Area Economic Development Council took a chilly drive up Yellowstone Hill Thursday morning to attend an open house at Brawler Industries, formerly Western Industries, in its current leased location. The open house was intended to show members of the council exactly what goes on in the Miles City fabrication facility. Brawler hopes to build a new facility in Southgate Meadows.
Brawler leases a large, open-span building that allows the company to assemble long sheets of material into liners for a number of purposes, including agricultural and oil industry uses. While the guests sat at a table, enjoying pastries and coffee, Brawler employees were rolling out long sheets of industrial fabric nearby, then using heat to seal the seams between the sheets.
After the sheets were melded together, they were folded, rolled, wrapped and set outside to await pickup.
Kent Metzger, executive vice president, explained that Brawler would like to build its own facility for a number of reasons. While the building they are currently occupying is quite large, it is not big enough. To complete some liners, the overhead doors are opened and the assembly process has to take place outside.
Obviously, during inclement weather, that is not possible.
In addition, they need additional storage space, a higher roof so they can have an overhead crane for very heavy liners, and they would like easier access to the Interstate. In winter weather, the road to their facility can be difficult to drive.
Brawler currently has about 50 employees who work continuous shifts. If they were able to expand their plant, they might hire more people and reduce the number of shifts, since more liners could be assembled at the same time. While they initially had trouble finding adequate help, after raising their introductory pay, they have been able to fill all the positions.
The new plant will be larger than the current facility, with one section having a higher roof to accommodate a crane. There will be ponds for drainage control and landscaping on the property. The exact details have not yet been determined, but the goal is to open the new building by the end of 2015.
Jennifer Simonsen, plant manager of the Miles City facility, assured members of the council that “our plant is clean,” uses no chemical solvents, does not manufacture any of the liner material, and recycles as much as possible.
According to Metzger, a neighborhood meeting and open house is planned in the near future so everyone concerned can see the facilities.