BY CHRIS MC LOONE
There’s something about walking around a brand new building. In many ways, the owner is still breaking it in. Everything still looks new, and it is equipped with the newest systems available at the point of construction. If the new facility is a manufacturing facility, walking through and observing the product flow is always impressive.
Drew Sutphen welcomed Chris Mc Loone to the company’s newest facility—Sutphen Urbana—at the end of 2023 for an exclusive tour. Sutphen Urbana, comprising 185,000 square feet, combines Sutphen’s chassis division, the Urbana Pumper Division, and Service and Technical Division. The new complex hosts the Sutphen Monarch chassis line, the Ohio Sutphen heavy duty custom pumper line, and the Sutphen Corporate Service and Technical Center.
Drew Sutphen, president of Sutphen, says that the Urbana facility was a three-year project that began in 2020. As of December 2023, the facility was 95% operational and on March 19, 2024, it celebrated the facility’s official grand opening.
Sutphen designed the building from the ground up and had been planning to expand for a while. Four years ago, “We got with all the stockholders and Board of Directors, and we sat down and said, ‘You know our business is better than ever. The backlogs are better than ever,’ “ says Sutphen. “We needed to grow. Our bottleneck was chassis. We couldn’t build enough chassis to build more trucks. With this facility, we can double the line by adding more people. We can do all kinds of things, but it was really to build more chassis because then all the other plants can grow.”
The 185,000-square-foot plant is only taking up part of the land purchased. It sits on 55 acres, only 25 of which have been developed. There is plenty of room for growth. “We were landlocked at the other three rental properties,” says Sutphen. “And, we knew we didn’t want that to happen again. So, we bought 55 acres so we can grow a lot over years.”
There are many things that Sutphen is excited about regarding the new facility, but the customer experience probably tops all of them. “When I pull up in the lot and sit back and look at how well we thought this building out for the customer, I’m really happy how it finished out,” he says. There are five conference rooms for customers during inspections, two outdoor patios for customers and team members, customer lounges, and the Sutphen Gear Store. “Five conference rooms—I know it might sound like a lot,” says Sutphen. But, he explains that with that many rooms, equipped with smart boards, etc., you can have that many more preconstruction meetings and final inspections. “That is huge for the customer experience,” he says.
And, Sutphen Corporation hasn’t forgotten about its employees. “We’re thrilled for our employees,” says B.J. Laney, general manager. “I can come into work every single day and be proud because every single thing about this facility is better than the three facilities we just left. Whether it’s the amenities, the facilities, or the lighting—every single thing about this building is better.”
“We are proud to have Sutphen in Urbana,” Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) Director Rich Ebert says. “To be home to one of the largest, most well-respected fire aparatus manufacturers in the country is a point of pride for teh City of Urbana and Champaign County as a whole. The CEO is proud to be a partner with them in bringing this state-of-the-art facility to Urbana. Their business has already made significant contributions to the community through jobs and opportunities, and we are confident that there is more to come in Sutphen’s Urbana story.”
“This new facility increases our workforce, manufacturing efficiency, production capacity, and so much more,” adds Sutphen. “Sutphen Urbana is an investment in our family business and an investment in the Urbana community. The facility represents Sutphen Corporation’s commitment to responsible growth for generations to come and is an opportunity for the fifth and sixth generations of Sutphen family members to grow our family business for the next 130 years.”
