Kelch Corp. is building a plant to accommodate anticipated growth in its plastic fuel-tank business. The Cedarburg, Wis., firm also hired David Allen to head the business as divisional general manager. Kelch announced May 25 that it plans to build a 150,000-square-foot facility in Menomonee Falls, Wis., on a 17-acre site in the town's new business park to replace a smaller plant in Mequon, Wis. It expects to relocate the operation in the summer of 2001. The Menomonee Falls Planning Commission is expected to approve the project June 7.
Kelch said the new facility will be its largest and most technologically advanced plant. All 160 employees at the Mequon operation will be offered jobs in Menomonee Falls and another 20-35 are likely to be hired within the first year of operation, Kelch announced.
Kelch injection molds fuel tanks for outdoor power equipment, lawn and garden, recreational vehicle and marine original-equipment manufacturers at its 60,000-square-foot Mequon operation.
Allen was president and general manager of Huffy Sports Co. for about seven years, and worked for the firm a total of 25 years.
Bill Foster, Kelch's vice president and general manager, said in a news release that Allen's experience in product development for sales to mass merchandisers will be valuable to Kelch customers.
The Menomonee Falls plant will include a technology center to help in the design, testing and production of high-performance fuel tanks. Bemis Manufacturing Co. of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., acquired Kelch in late 1998.
