Elkay announced the planned expansion of their manufacturing facility in Lanark, IL. Additional capacity was prompted by increased demand for the company’s signature water delivery products, which are manufactured in Lanark and Savanna, IL. Demand has grown steadily in past years. The company delivered a steady stream of innovative, new, water delivery products–such as the Smartwell and LIV water delivery systems.
Demand for the Smartwell Water Delivery System and its iconic ezH2O Water Bottle Filling Stations has gone through the roof, as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“We’ve seen an exponential increase in demand for our hands-free products,” said Kraig Kniss, Vice President of Operations for Elkay’s Plumbing business. “…Previously convenience, taste, and sustainability were among the leading drivers of demand for these products. The recent pandemic has led building managers across the Nation and around the world to re-examine how they are meeting the need to provide access to drinking water in their public spaces.”
“In addition to providing increasing capacity to meet the current growing demand as well as what we continue to forecast for coming years, the newly expanded facility will provide greater flexibility for our manufacturing operations,” said Joe Lentini. He is Plant Manager for the manufacturing plants in Lanark and Savanna and the distribution facility in Freeport, IL. “By planning for the capability of building mixed models into two-of-the-three planned assembly lines, we can adjust our operations to better meet the changing demands of the marketplace.”
Expansion includes the addition of two refrigerated assembly lines and one bottle filler tower assembly line, as well as an automated CNC/Laser for sheet metal fabrication.
To maximize the new investment and adjust for the sudden increase in demand, the company is looking increase headcount by up to 50 employees. Increased demand, coupled with the new capacity, will result in additional new hires at Savanna and Freeport operations.
The Lanark operation is already home to manufacturing for Elkay’s Smartwell Water Delivery Systems and ezH2O Liv commercial and residential, filtered water dispensers. New operations are expected to come on-line in two phases, with the first phase including the CNC/Laser sheet metal fabrication to be operational by late January 2021. Additional manufacturing lines are expected to be fully staffed and operational by late May.
Elkay Produces its 7,000,000th Water Cooler in Savanna
On Tuesday, December 15, 2020, Elkay Manufacturing’s 7,000,000th water cooler rolled down the assembly line at the Savanna location. The demand for water bottle fillers has gone up each year, and 2020 was a record year. Elkay has manufacturing sites in Savanna and Lanark and a Distribution Center in Freeport.
Joe Lentini, Regional Plant Manager stated, “I am extremely proud of every team member. The demand for our products has been three times our anticipated amount, and the teams’ overall effort, ability to adapt, and finding ways to improve has been world class.”
