East Manufacturing has opened a new, highly automated manufacturing facility at the company’s headquarters in Randolph, Ohio as part of its growth strategy.

The 73,000-square-foot building, the largest single building in the company’s history, will accelerate trailer production capability for its customers. The facility will have the capacity to produce 2,000 trailers annually and will require 75 more employees per shift when fully operational, according to East.

“After 18 months of dedicated work by many individuals, we are excited to open the doors of this new production facility in Randolph,” said Dave de Poincy, president of East. “With record levels of production, it will enable us to maximize our efficiency and reduce our backlog.”

The facility was designed for production efficiency and quality, streamlining the manufacturing process and incorporating technologies such as robotic equipment, automated production processes and a material handling system. The robotic equipment will serve as part placers, while robotic welders in beam and side rail construction areas will ensure output and consistent results for weld quality.

Each trailer will be secured to a rotator and move through a series of workstations, allowing it to be rotated into any position. This method will give better access to difficult-to-weld areas and be more ergonomically correct for workers, according to East.

In addition to manufacturing, the new facility will also house parts inventory, allowing more accessibility to frequently needed trailer parts. It will also provide 10,000 square feet of space for material storage of oversized flat steel and aluminum material that is typically housed outside where it is exposed to the elements.

The facility also includes an eight-bay mounting center, with two bays dedicated to truck body installation and six bays for trailer body mounting. The opening of the new mounting bays allows East to reduce the congestion within other East dump trailer departments, increasing efficiency and accommodating more trailer output.