Maxon Lift Corp is now in production at its new liftgate plant in Tijuana, Mexico. Highlights of the new facility include:
-
It was built from the ground up and designed solely for the high-volume production of commercial liftgates and thus optimizes the process flows and associated efficiencies.
-
It houses a new painting process (MAXPRO) designed to improve coating durability and corrosion resistance. The plant contains custom made paint booths and equipment for applying the process.
-
It entertains a “job shop” area that can accommodate special order requests that otherwise would be impossible (or not economical) to fulfill on the high-volume assembly lines. The facility totals 325,000 square feet, including 250,000 square feet under roof and an additional 75,000 square feet of open storage.
-
It took 7,550 cubic yards of concrete to build.
-
It incorporates 13,800 linear feet of skylights.
-
It has three 1,000-volt, 1,200-ampere power stations.
-
Exhaust vans turn the air over six times per minute.
“This achievement is a fond moment for our family business,” says Brent Stratton, member of the executive management team. Maxon worked to complete the plant during the company's 50th year in business.
“Opening the factory also hallmarks our transition into our next 50 years of innovation,” Stratton says.
Max Lugash, the inventor of the TUK-A-WAY liftgate, founded Maxon in 1957. From the expansion on the original TUK-A-WAY, the company expanded its product line to include other gate types such as rail lifts and full hydraulic direct column lifts. Today Maxon is managed by the third generation of the family: Maxine, Brent, and Casey. Like the two generations before them, they have ambitious plans for the company. Part of the plan includes major infrastructure projects such as the just-completed new factory. Next will be a new Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP).
“These projects are necessary to prepare a foundation for the further growth,” Stratton says. “This expansion will lead Maxon into new areas and pursuit of new markets and products.”
