Sheffield, Iowa — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 5 commemorating the expansion of Brock’s LeMar® manufacturing facility in Sheffield, Iowa. The expansion and workflow reorganization will help Brock meet the growing demand for the grain sweeps and transport conveyors produced at the plant. It will add nearly 20,000 sq. ft. of space to the facility, providing more room for equipment assembly and allowing drive-through access for shipping and receiving. Connecting all south-side buildings will improve production while alleviating weather-related problems with storage and movement of product.
Brock manufactures 1500 Series on-farm power sweeps as well as 3500 Series electric sweeps and MAVERIK® 4000 Series hydraulic sweeps for the commercial market. The plant also produces transport conveyors used to build grain piles at commercial grain facilities.
John Tuttle, vice president of sales and marketing for Brock Grain Systems, says the expansion will help Brock increase sweep production from approximately 800 sweeps a year to more than 2,000 sweeps per year. “Our most recent sweep product, the 1500 Series has been very popular. We need this new space to keep up with demand.”
“This investment will also enhance flow optimization at the facility to improve employee efficiency and safety,” explained John Stambaugh, vice president and general manager for Brock Grain Systems. “It is part of a multi-site improvement plan at Brock manufacturing facilities in Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; and Vincennes, Indiana; to continue to provide reliable inventory for our Brock dealer network and our customers.”
The Brock Sheffield facility currently employs 37 people. The new plant expansion represents a $2.6 million investment in the Central Iowa community of Sheffield and is expected to ultimately add up to 10 jobs to the local economy. Dean Snyder Construction of Clear Lake, Iowa, is overseeing the construction. The expansion is expected to be completed by October of this year.
The Sheffield facility has been manufacturing grain handling and other agricultural equipment since 1999 when it was operated by Hall Industries. The company merged with LeMar Industries in 2011 and became part of Brock Grain Systems in 2013.