Aluminum Trailer Co. (ATC) has opened its new factory and headquarters, making for a total of three plants in Nappanee, Ind.
The company cut a ceremonial ribbon Tuesday morning on its plant at 751 N. Tomahawk Trail, just south of C.R. 52 and on the west edge of the city. ATC is building its custom and semi-custom all-aluminum car hauler trailers at the plant.
This story by Roger Schneider originally appeared in the Goshen News.
Steve Brenneman, founder and CEO of ATC, said that experience and planning allowed the company’s leadership to start with a blank slate and make the factory efficient, yet having a comfortable atmosphere for the people who work there.
The factory features a lot of natural lighting, a large covered porch for parking bicycles used by Amish workers and large workstations for office employees. Outside, a wooded area along the property line was preserved to offer a more natural setting.
Some uncommon features are the see-through walls of the large welding area. The orange-tinted transparent walls allow workers inside the welding area to see the rest of the factory while the tint protects the eyes of anyone looking in.
ATC sells a variety of all-aluminum cargo and specialty trailers across North America. The company’s Quest line is manufactured in the new facility. The company employs about 270 employees, according to Josh Sanders, ATC marketing manager. He said more jobs are expected to be added in the next two years based on growth.