Fike has completed a new pressure vessel manufacturing facility at its corporate headquarters in Blue Springs, MO. This new facility allows for the increased production of Fike commercial clean agent fire protection cylinders, while providing employees with a clean, safe, and more comfortable work environment.
 
The huge boom in the computer and Internet industries has lead to a rapid increase in the need for fire suppression and protection products such as Fike's ECARO-25 clean agent system and the ProInert inert gas system. Fike manufactures its own clean agent cylinders onsite, eliminating any reliance on inundated outside manufacturing vendors. Fike incorporated possible future expansion capabilities into the design, and after careful planning, broke ground on construction of the new facility in early 2010.
 
"In the wake of businesses all across the country scrambling to reduce costs, Fike chose to invest in their infrastructure,” says Brent Leonard, production manager for commercial products. “While the primary focus was to maintain control of product quality, lead-times and costs, keeping jobs local and stimulating the economy were also important considerations,"
 
Designed and built by Fike, the new facility features a state-of-the-art oven with nearly doubled the previous capacity, leading to a more balanced workflow and reduced material handling. The addition of the new facility has also allowed the original welding facility to focus on the growing demand for Fike's line of explosion protection products and explosion testing equipment.
 
"Fike is on a journey to be recognized as a world class manufacturing organization,” said Leonard. “This facility is a major milestone in that commitment. We are competing in cost with companies that specialize only in cylinder manufacturing, while maintaining the highest standards of quality. This is quite an accomplishment since Fike produces a wide range of products within five distinct product lines."
 
For more information, visit www.fike.com.