By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Summit Truck Bodies has announced a $50 million expansion at its Wathena facility.
The company says the new, state-of-the-art facility, will double production. The new facility will total 220,000 square feet with 200,000 dedicated to manufacturing and 20,000 for offices. The company plans to hire 80 new employees across various departments.
Reynolds Construction Management has been contracted to complete the expansion. Construction is expected to be finished in a little less than two years.
The new facility will be located next to the existing production and warehouse facility. It will focus on service body production and final assembly of service trucks.
"In deciding to build this new facility, we considered our current lead times, customer expectations, and the increase in our parts sales and service," Chris Walter, Summit Truck Bodies Plant Manager, said in a written statement. "The most exciting aspect of this expansion is the integration of new technology and streamlined processes that will maximize our production efficiency. The advanced equipment will improve fabrication and paint speed, reduce physical strain on our workers, and ensure consistent high quality. This expansion will significantly decrease lead times and enhance after-sales support, directly benefiting our customers."
The Doniphan County Economic Development assisted with the project with help from the state.
“Summit Truck Bodies’ expansion proves that our dedicated workforce, quality of life, and central location draw businesses across various industries. Kansas will continue to partner with first-class companies like Summit Truck Bodies to ensure communities throughout the state have opportunities to prosper,” Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said in a written statement released by her office.
Summit Truck Equipment, a sister company of Summit Truck Bodies, sells custom service and lube trucks and equipment produced by Summit Truck Bodies.
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