Global Fastener News

FEATURE

Acument Global Technologies unveiled its new North American Processing and Technical Center in Fenton, MI.

Acument reopened the Fenton facility in January after mothballing it in April 2009 during the height of the recession. The facility handles some of Acument’s processing needs, including heat treatment, sorting parts and other services that were previously done out of state.
 

Since February Acument has grown from 30 workers to 44, with more than 50 expected by year’s end. The company reportedly is adding jobs more than 50% faster than it expected. The facility workforce is projected to top 100 in 2012.
 

Sterling Heights-based Acument is investing $5.1 million to expand its facilities in Fenton, Grand Blanc Township and Sterling Heights and retain its headquarters in Michigan, according to the Flint Journal.
 

“When it came right down to it, Fenton was the ideal choice,” CFO Brad Frederick told the Journal. “It had existing furnaces we could fire up quickly, room to install processing and sorting equipment, office space that would allow us to centralize our North American Engineering team and laboratory equipment.
 

“It gave us ready access to workers with the skills we needed and it was a few miles away from Acument’s fastener plants in Holly and Sterling Heights.”

While the Center will not replace all outside processes performed by its suppliers, it provides vertical integration for Acument.

HEAT TREATMENT

Both heat treat furnaces at the center are now operating at capacity. The 3,000 lb-per-hour furnaces, which are qualified to requirements of CQI-9 standards for operation, were mothballed when the facility was shuttered in early 2009.

Acument is already heat treating parts for the majority of its North American plants.

SORTING

Acument is operating automated sorting equipment at Fenton that was transferred from another Acument facility outside of Michigan.  
 

“We expect to add to this capability in the future. In the interim, we are augmenting it with hand sorting.”

ZINC ELECTROPLATING

“We purchased a used zinc electroplating line from a former plating company in Illinois that was in the process of downsizing their operations at the end of last year.”  

In preparation for the installation, Acument poured the foundation for the equipment in January, and then began installing it in February, including a process water treatment facility onsite. 

PATCHING

Acument is working with a partner to install an adhesive and sealant patch line at the facility in the second quarter of 2011. The net result will be to in-source patch work being done out of state for select high volume parts. Other patch lines will be added in the second half of 2011.

In addition to serving as a tech and processing center, the Fenton facility will also house Acument’s North American Engineering group. 
 

Acument employs about 2,300 workers throughout North and South America.  ©2011 GlobalFastenerNews.com

Related Links:

• Acument Global Technologies