Trostel finishes improvements at Wis. headquarters

LAKE GENEVA, Wis.—Trostel Ltd. has completed a multimillion dollar project at its headquarters in Lake Geneva aimed at making the firm more flexible and bolstering its manufacturing, engineering and testing operations.

In addition, it added two new custom-designed injection molding presses and has the room for between 16 and 20 additional machines, depending on the size of the presses.

Trostel now can offer a more advanced set of manufacturing capabilities to its customers at the site, which focuses heavily on research and development, prototyping, quality assurance testing, and pre-production qualification, according to President and CEO Steve Dyer.

It previously did not manufacture goods at the Lake Geneva facility.

Basically, the company condensed its operations in Lake Geneva to get bigger. The rebuilt facility now spans about 43,500 square feet, with about 26,500 square feet of high bay space earmarked for manufacturing and another 17,000 square feet for offices.

This has created a more efficient and more advanced manufacturing operation, Dyer said.

A customer can come to the facility to develop a product concept, observe a prototype in its development and testing stages, and see the creation of the final product. The strategic focus on pre-production development ensures that products meet exacting quality assurance standards before entering mass production, the firm said.

If the customer wants Trostel to handle mass production, the company often sends the final version to its ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified production plant in Reynosa, Mexico. However, Dyer noted, with its efficient manufacturing operation in Lake Geneva, the firm can mold goods regionally.

“The upgrades to our facility represent the next chapter in Trostel's manufacturing story,” he said. “With an enhanced building that gives us expanded capacity, we're doubling down on capabilities for our customers, ensuring that our operations exceed the industry standard in engineering, technology and quality.”

It presently is handling two manufacturing jobs, products that Dyer said will be made permanently at the Late Geneva plant because it is more cost-effective to ship from Wisconsin than it is from Mexico.

He didn't rule out an expansion at the upgraded plant down the road. “With some of our recent wins in the oil and gas sector and trucking industry, that may lead to further growth” of the structure. The company is in discussions with medical and defense goods producers that could result in the need for more manufacturing space in the future.

“We have the land space to add an additional 25,000 square feet if the need arises,” Dyer said.

Trostel's upgraded structure gives it flexibility and the space to move quickly to take care of its customers' needs, he said, adding that it will also help the company get products to the market quicker.

In addition to its manufacturing and capacity expansions, the renovated 17,000 square feet of office space at the site will better integrate the company's engineers and help build a collaborative work environment that encourages discussion, idea sharing and creative solutions to problems, the firm said.

The section also will house Trostel Rubber Consulting Services, a unit that will work with customers that want to tap into the firm's engineering insights to improve product design and prototyping, tool design, as well as failure analysis.