Racine Metal-Fab Celebrates Milestone

What started out as a little tool and die shop fabricating small metal components for local firms has evolved into an industry powerhouse in manufacturing and assembly of precision sheet metal for companies large and small . . . and 50 years later Racine Metal-Fab, Ltd. (Racine, WI) is still going strong: this year commemorates their 50th anniversary in business. To celebrate the event, they hosted an open house in October for employees and their guests. In addition to hors d’oeures and refreshments, attendees received tours of the facility, including demonstrations of robotic spot welding, turret/laser and brake press operations.

Although the brand has become a household name within numerous industries, the company originally founded by Jim and Marge Madson looked very different back then. The Madsons first opened their doors for business in 1968 as a small metal fabrication shop in Racine’s south side. As their reputation for manufacturing quality products and customer responsiveness began to grow, so too did their business. Needing more space to accommodate increased production, they moved to their current location in nearby Sturtevant, WI.

Completed in 2012, the 75,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility has allowed the company to embrace a manufacturing philosophy that preaches lean practices and employee empowerment. “The key to our continued success of producing highly aesthetic sheet metal products is the culture of professionalism we’ve instilled in our all team members,” said Kim Nichols, the chief executive officer of Racine Metal-Fab. “In addition to our facility, we’ve made significant investments in machinery and equipment that position ourselves well to meet the needs of our customers moving forward. It’s an exciting time to be here!”

This precision metal fabricator now has deep roots in many industries, most notably commercial lighting, electrical automation, food equipment and medical. More than 70 employees are constantly involved in the decision-making process from prototyping, to scheduling, to production, and all other facets of daily operations, which has caused a reduction in order lead times and improved on-time deliveries.

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