Franklin Electric celebrates 75 years of business

Franklin Electric will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2019. The company was founded by E.J. “Ed” Schaefer and T.W. “Wayne” Kehoe in 1944 in Bluffton, Indiana. Franklin Electric started as a small motor manufacturing company and has grown into a global provider of systems and components for moving water and fuel.

 SJE moves in to new Florida location

SJE moved its Florida office to a new building in St. Petersburg. The building is more than 80 percent larger, providing space for growth. The new facility has 17,500 square feet, bringing the production space up to over 10,000 square feet. Other benefits include a one-level layout, improved employee common areas and a conference room. The address is 10040 18th St. N., Suite No. 1, St. Petersburg, about 6 miles southeast of the old location.

Vactor announces plans to expand manufacturing facility

Vactor announced plans to expand its Streator, Illinois, manufacturing facility. The project is expected to increase Vactor’s production capacity and add up to 90 jobs. The first phase of the project will expand the existing fabrication, welding, paint and assembly areas, as well as the test bays. Additionally, the current training center and customer inspection facility will be updated. The expansion will add about 100,000 square feet. The construction completion targeted is the end of 2019.