On the southeast side of Indianapolis a project that has been decades in the making is coming to completion. By the end of 2024 Interstate 69 will finally be complete between Interstate 465 and Evansville, a process that began in 2009 and has constructed over 130 miles of new interstate highway. At IMH Products, we played a small role in this project with our capabilities in guardrail component manufacturing, stormwater drainage systems, and other construction products. We are at the forefront of industrial metal fabrication trends in Indiana with our ability to supply this components, and it is just one area where we are working to shape tomorrow.
Growing Industrial Metal Fabrication Trends in Indiana
The iron & steel manufacturing industry in Indiana is a $17.5 billion industry with over 17,000 employees. With that much steel and iron being manufactured, metal fabrication such as laser cutting, machining, forming, and more is needed even more. That is part of a $100 million manufacturing industry in the state that provides jobs to thousands of people. The main reasons that manufacturing in Indiana is thriving are automation, skilled labor, and supply chains. These are areas where IMH Products is always looking to improve.
IMH Manufacturing Automation
Manufacturing automation is a great way to lower production times and costs for our customers. At IMH Products, it has become a standardized tool. We use automation for processes such as welding, laser cutting, and folding. Through automation our array of lasers can quickly and efficiently cut a large volume of components in a short amount of time.
Among our automation capabilities we feature:
- CIDAN folding with automation
- Multiple coil feeder options
- Robotic welding
- Laser cutting
- Automated drain welding system
- Press brakes
- CNC mills
Skilled Labor
Not every manufacturing process can be automated. Having skilled welders, tool & die machinists, press brake operators, and others is a critical part of the manufacturing process. Industrial fabrication trends in Indiana have seen the need for these jobs soar in recent years according to Regions Bank:
While the manufacturing industry took a hit during the peak of the pandemic, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that manufacturing jobs in Indiana have nearly bounced back to pre-pandemic figures: 526,000 workers in 2021, compared with 539,000 in 2019.
Regions Bank
IMH has mirrored this growth, as we have been able to expand our production and workforce in all of our plants.
Supply Chains
We recognize our role in being a critical part of the supply chain. None of these challenges are new, as IMH is right in the middle of the supply chain. With our suppliers of raw materials we are able to fulfill our role quickly and efficiently. We then create the components that our customers need to produce their own products. Think of it like building a lego set. IMH is the place that manufactures the legos, but it has to get the materials for legos from somewhere else before creating them and sending them on to the consumer (in this case our customers), who puts the set together.
All of this relies heavily on the supply chain, and IMH Products is proud to be a critical link in that chain. For more information on how we can assist your business, contact us at sales@imh.com.