Fire apparatus maker Pierce Manufacturing Inc. announced a new round of advancements across its manufacturing operations in Appleton, Wisconsin. Building on a multi-year modernization initiative launched in 2022, the Oshkosh Corporation-owned company expects the investments to enable faster delivery of its products to fire departments.
The advancements represent part of nearly $150 million in funding across Pierce's manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin, Florida and Tennessee.
With approximately $60 million already invested, these newest additions build on Pierce's goal of increasing manufacturing capacity, reducing lead times and boosting innovation through continued workforce growth and the integration of advanced robotics and fabrication technologies. Investments over the past several years included expanding manufacturing space by 28%, adding 500,000 square feet of facility space and hiring 800 new workers.
"We have already reduced lead times by over three months from their peak," Oshkosh Corporation Vocational Executive Vice President and President Mike Pack said. "With these sustained investments, we are continuing to work to return to pre-pandemic lead times."
The company expects the additions at the Appleton campus to enhance quality, increase production flow, reduce manual touchpoints and improve safety for team members. The newest investments include:
- A Penta 30K laser, capable of cutting up to two inches of steel with beveled edges that eliminates manual sanding, and an automated panel bender that performs multiple bends in a fraction of the time required by traditional presses.
- A semi-automated folding machine that allows a single operator to perform complex bends safely and efficiently, automated rail welding systems that reduce welding time by up to two-thirds and hand-held laser welding technology that delivers precise results with minimal material warpage.
- Buffing robots and an AI-enabled sanding system, which prepares metal panels for paint with improved consistency and efficiency.
- A 26,000-square-foot paint facility expansion nearing completion, featuring new advanced paint booths and curing ovens.
- Relocation of the manufacturing release line (MRL) to improve production flow and quality control, along with modernization of the parts facility to centralize warehousing. These expansions enabled the cab and chassis lines to be relocated and reformatted within a larger 224,000 square foot space, freeing critical manufacturing capacity and further enhancing efficiency and quality.
