Hanson expands Ga. plant, technology

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Hanson Group L.L.C. is expanding rapidly—both physically and via new technology, innovations and products.

A versatile producer of a wide assortment of goods, the company recently purchased an 85,000-sq.-ft. plant in Peachtree Corners, Ga., initially dedicated to custom spraying polyurea for various finished products used by original equipment manufacturers.

In addition, the factory casts other polyurea and polyurethane consumer and original equipment manufacturing products, said Lee Hanson, owner and president of the group. Those include its newest offering, custom furniture using urethane foam and sprayed polyurea; sporting goods; transparent armor; and coated utility vehicle components.

To accommodate its growth, THG added several spray booths and high pressure, plural component spray machines along with higher volume plural component elastomer dispensing equipment at the site.

THG's newest facility currently employs about 10, Hanson said, “but this will be increasing as we bring on more business.

“We were going to close our blending facility (also located in the Atlanta area) and move it to the new larger plant, but at the moment we are looking to see if we need that capacity to fill our in-house needs and grow our polyurea private label business.”

He said the company needed the Peachtree Corners factory because the business outgrew its other plant in Atlanta.

“We realized there is a shortage in the market for custom manufacturing of 100 percent solids, fast curing polyureas and high end cast polyurethanes,” Hanson said at the Polyurethane Manufacturers Association annual meeting, held April 26-28 in Charlotte.

That moved the company into the custom manufacturing arena because it has the expertise to tackle that market. All of the firm's polyurethane foam furniture coated with polyurea is produced at the Peachtree Corners factory.

THG, which was formed in 1996 by Hanson, has a work force of about 70 at its three plants. It is also making some products for sporting goods, military and municipal applications at its Aragon Elastomers facility in Louisville, Colo., which casts a variety of urethane parts, or in Asia.

Between the new plant in Georgia, the Colorado facility and outsourcing in Asia, the firm makes products for football, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, cross-fit and rock climbing.

It manufactures everything from the Guardian Cap—a padded and decoupled cover used on the top of helmets in contact sports; components for weight lifting and cross-fit; sports balls; and climbing holds.

“We differentiate our products either by being the best quality and performance or being unique and patented,” Hanson said. “There must be a need, because we can't keep up with the demand.”

Its protective gear for football helmets has experienced some resistance from head gear companies, he admitted. “We are stubborn here. This is a passion business for us. After five years on the field with overwhelming positive feedback from certified athletic trainers, coaches, medical doctors, players and parents, we will not be run out by the large helmet companies. We are doing too much good.

“There are over 35,000 units on the field at more than 750 high schools and more than 30 colleges. We have all the laboratory data and anecdotal results to show that it is working. We will continue as it is now spreading from football to hockey and lacrosse.”

Nonetheless, at this point its protective gear remains a small part of its business.

THG's new furniture is going well, Hanson said, adding the company has gotten good exposure under the site www.TenJam.com. “I don't know if it will be a huge business as it is a novelty, but we've done jobs for Google, Constant Contact, Target and Harvard University, to name a few.”

The skill set the company has developed with its spray technicians and formulations, along with equipment installations, will lead to more customized spray jobs from businesses that want a durable, thick film coating but don't want to invest $100,000 in the equipment, he said.

THG will continue to evolve, “as we are now backward and forward integrated,” he said. “We're always looking for new ways to improve products and how society deals with issues—whether it be safety, sports, military or just fun.”

About 60 percent of the company's business is the production and sale of raw materials, according to Hanson. But formulated systems and cast urethane parts are moving up quicker than the chemical end.

Customers are coming to THG to toll manufacture, which fits in well with its private label production. “We're transitioning into a cast part and formulated system producer,” he said.

But it likely will be some time before it catches up with its specialty raw materials operation.