With the 2014 completion of Balluff's new state-of-the-art customer support and training center in Florence, KY on Industrial Road; space is now available for expansion in their original location on Holton Drive. Balluff’s global managing director and owner, Florian Hermle, announced recently that the company will be focusing on local production and “by 2016 production hours in the Kentucky facility will increase 140%.”
“The goal of bringing production to Kentucky is to ensure short lead times and reliable on-time delivery with made-to-order products,” Hermle adds. The highest volume of products manufactured in the Florence facility is linear transducers and encoders. Containing high-tech electronics, “These devices,” says Henry Menke, Marketing Manager Sensors, “are customized to each customer’s needs and require precision testing and assembly. This is a great strength of the Kentucky production team. In addition, Balluff is able to provide guaranteed 5-day delivery for linear transducer products.” This short delivery time sets a benchmark for product availability, in markets where minutes of machine downtime can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. “In certain situations, because of the flexibility and lean process in Florence, Balluff can offer same-day delivery on linear transducers,” Menke continues.
In addition, Hermle has identified the Florence, Kentucky facility as the North American distribution and warehouse center for Balluff. Operating a highly efficient and compact carousel-style logistics system, Balluff can process up to 110 line items per hour with one operator. Shipments via carrier, courier, or post can be shipped to virtually any location or country directly out of Florence. “By 2016, logistics and warehouse labor hours are expected to increase 40% in Kentucky,” Hermle declares. This increase in productivity will be expanded further by investments in additional carousel systems and warehouse capacity in the existing facility.
One of the world’s leading automation suppliers, Balluff specializes in products for industrial sensing, networking, and identification for a wide range of applications and industries. Balluff, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Balluff GmbH, based in Neuhausen, Germany (close to Stuttgart). The company’s U.S. headquarters currently employs more than 150 people, and has been located in Florence, Kentucky since 1983, with expansions in 1994 and 2001. The facility is the final assembly, distribution, and training site for Balluff in the United States.
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