Vehicle Service Group Expanding Indiana Facility

Vehicle Service Group (VSG) will be completing a $7 million expansion of its Madison, Indiana, operation, the company announced. The makeover will include a new paint line, improved manufacturing flow and greatly increased manufacturing capacity, the company says.

Founded in 1925, VSG began manufacturing in Madison nearly 70 years ago, building all of its Rotary Lift products under one roof. Since then, many additions, builds and layout changes have occurred to support the company’s growth—most notably the construction of the East Plant in the 1980s. Now, to further enable global growth in its five core business segments, the original factory will receive a total state-of-the-art makeover.

“At a time when many related industries are contracting or looking for ways to outsource their products, we are excited to be planning for increased and enhanced manufacturing in our own facility,“ said Lee Sneed, vice president of global operations for VSG. “Simply put, to better care for our employees and keep pace with our planned growth, we must act to ensure we have the necessary processes and capacity in place to meet our future needs.”

The plans for expanding VSG’s West Plant coincide with the company’s commitment to provide enhanced safety for its workforce, improved efficiency in its operation, a more environmentally friendly footprint for the Jefferson County community and an overall better product experience for its customers, the company says, and, at the same time, increased capacity will support the long-term growth trajectory of the business.

“Designing and manufacturing a quality product is just the first step in our journey,” noted Ian Wendler, vice president and general manager for VSG – the Americas. “Delivering quality products and exceeding our customers’ expectations is at the forefront of our DNA. With our 100-year anniversary right around the corner, our upgraded facility and processes will allow us to better deliver and meet the growing demands of our customers in this transformative time and for many years to come.”

Planning for the project is ongoing with groundbreaking to occur in the coming weeks. During construction, there will be no interruption to current production with completion and switchover anticipated in late 2021.

By A.J. Hecht

A.J. Hecht is the managing editor of THE SHOP and host of the In Gear with THE SHOP podcast. Have an idea, a tip, or a question you’d like to see answered? Contact A.J. at ahecht@cahabamedia.com.