Indian Springs starts manufacturing-facility expansion in Lysander

LYSANDER — Indian Springs Manufacturing Co., Inc., a manufacturer of hazardous-materials containment equipment and custom-machined products, is expanding its operation at 2095 W. Genesee Rd. in Lysander. Construction on the $1 million project started April 3, says Shawn Ferguson, company president. The firm currently operates in a 9,000-square-foot structure. The expansion covers an additional 9,000 […]

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LYSANDER — Indian Springs Manufacturing Co., Inc., a manufacturer of hazardous-materials containment equipment and custom-machined products, is expanding its operation at 2095 W. Genesee Rd. in Lysander.

Construction on the $1 million project started April 3, says Shawn Ferguson, company president.

The firm currently operates in a 9,000-square-foot structure. The expansion covers an additional 9,000 square feet, but it’s also replacing part of the existing structure. When completed in mid-August, the expansion will grow the company’s space from 9,000 square feet to 13,000 square feet, Ferguson says.

Parts of the building date back to the 1950s and they’re becoming outdated, Ferguson says.

“Our manufacturing workflow was not optimized because it was kind of a patchwork of building additions over the years,” he adds.

The firm is using several sources to cover the $1 million cost of the expansion.

“It’s a combination of bank financing, government-backed loans, and company assets,” Ferguson says.

Indian Springs is using a loan from M&T Bank, but Ferguson declined to disclose the amount of the loan. A 504 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration is covering 40 percent of the financing package, he adds.

Architect Jill Fudo of Auburn designed the project. Construction Associates, LLC of Phoenix serves as the project manager, Ferguson says.

Subcontractors include Fingerlakes Construction Co., Inc. of Clyde, which is handling construction of the building. BS Enterprises LLC of Baldwinsville is handling the site work.

Halco of Phelps is doing the electrical and mechanical work on the project, Ferguson says.

Beyond the construction, crews will also install climate-control systems for the shop. 

“So the entire manufacturing facility is going to be air conditioned,” Ferguson says.

The firm is also installing all LED (light-emitting diode) lighting inside the expanded manufacturing area for energy efficiency.

The floor plans are also designed for a more efficient flow of materials, Ferguson adds.

Indian Springs also has potential work “opportunities” later in 2013 and in 2014 that are going to require additional equipment and space, Ferguson says.

Those opportunities, he says, will impact both the contract-manufacturing and hazardous-materials equipment sides of the business.

 

About Indian Springs

Indian Springs Manufacturing is a contract-manufacturing company, producing a variety of different parts to customer specifications for industrial and commercial customers.

Clients for the contract-manufacturing side of the firm’s business are “primarily” from New York but that customer base does expand outside the state as well, Ferguson says.

“We serve a variety of markets from military, to LED lighting, to custom manufacturers that use our components in their products,” he says.

On the contract-manufacturing side, Indian Springs is a computer-numerically controlled (CNC) machine shop for the manufacture of parts (meaning it doesn’t involve molding, bending, or fabricating), Ferguson says.

“Typically, they’re metal parts for which the customer will provide specifications on [a] drawing,” he says.

In addition to contract manufacturing, Indian Springs, also makes several products used in the hazardous-materials safety industry, including a “core” set for emergency kits.

“These kits will stop leaks in containers that have hazardous chemicals in them,” Ferguson says.

The firm also makes safety clothing, breathing apparatuses, training devices, training videos, and accessories for use with the hazmat equipment, Ferguson says.

On the hazardous-materials equipment side, about 40 percent of the Indian Springs products ship “internationally,” he adds.

Incorporated in 1958, the owners of Indian Springs Manufacturing include Ferguson, his parents Maurice and Patricia Ferguson, and Wendy Racha. The elder Fergusons are the majority owners, while Shawn Ferguson and Wendy Racha are minority owners, according to the younger Ferguson. He declined to disclose their percentage of ownership.

Shawn Ferguson serves as the company president, and Robert (Rob) Wolniak is the company’s vice president.

Indian Springs employs 13 people, including nine full-time workers.  The staff also includes four part-time employees, according to Ferguson.  The firm has no current plans to add staff during 2013.

Both Maurice and Patricia Ferguson own the company’s facility as 2095 West Genesee Road Associates, LLC.

Ferguson declined to disclose the amount of revenue Indian Springs generated during 2012, but said the revenue figure increased five percent compared to 2011. The firm anticipates a 10 percent revenue increase in 2013.

 

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

 

Eric Reinhardt: