Sakai America, a manufacturer of compaction equipment, has recently announced the opening of the company’s new manufacturing plant and headquarters in Adairsville, GA. The plant is located about 45 mi. (72 km) north of Atlanta immediately adjacent to I-75.
The new 96,000-sq.-ft. facility features modern production lines for the manufacture of Sakai’s extensive line of self-propelled soil and asphalt vibratory, static and pneumatic rollers and other products to be announced. Designed and built to amplify Sakai’s efforts to meet and exceed the auspices of ISO 9000, the new plant includes CAD-CAM design and manufacturing, streamlined assembly and state-of the-art finishing and painting.
Included in the new building is a huge parts warehousing area that is designed to locate and move parts to the end user in the field via overnight services and Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport.
Out back, all new machines are thoroughly tested at Sakai’s 10-acre (4 ha) test track where major machine functions are proven before each machine goes on the truck.
Also included at the new campus are applications, parts and service training facilities.
The new Adairsville facility will enable Sakai to bolster its delivery of both whole machines and replacement parts to meet the ever-growing demands of the construction industry. Contractors involved in a road program fueled by TEA-21 funding have been wanting to test the new, productive compactors Sakai offers to meet the demands of Superpave and other contemporary mix designs. This need had been pushing the Sakai production envelope to new levels and the new plant amplifies Sakai’s support to both dealers and contractors alike.
According to Dick Draper, Sakai vice president and general manager, “Our dealers and their contractor-customers have been clamoring for the new 4000 vpm machines since their introduction at ConExpo ’99. These new machines have been proven to work as effectively in the field as they do on paper. Contractors using them are now meeting density specs on Superpave, CalTrans and other mixes without problem and without fail.”
The increased speed of the SW800, SW850 and new SW900 rollers are triggering improved profit margins on these jobs and bonuses rather than penalties in states involved in that form of payment. This in turn is boosting the demand. Draper explained that the “4000 VPM machines are especially useful to contractors and public works officials during tough economic times. By bringing density, smoothness and a quieter riding surface to the job site more quickly, contractors can now get in and out in a hurry, with less machines and labor — a big plus on the bottom line.”
Sakai offers a full line of vibratory soil compactors, vibratory asphalt rollers, static rollers and pneumatic rollers and other products for the construction industry.
Founded in 1918 as a manufacturer and service depot for diesel engines, Sakai has grown to be a large producer of ride-on compactors, currently building and shipping more than 4,000 machines worldwide annually.
For more information, call 800/323-0535.
