A "welcome" sign in seven languages at P&H Mining says a lot about what's happening at a company that's been in Milwaukee for more than a century.
Mining industry executives from Europe, Asia and South America travel here to inspect machines they've spent millions of dollars on - mining shovels so large they have to be shipped in pieces to remote areas of Chile and Russia.
That stands in sharp contrast to the days when the mining equipment industry was in a slump and much of the business came from North America.
Now the demand for mined commodities in Brazil, Russia, India and China has steadily increased with their growing economies.
Those four countries are "up front and center" in mining, said Patrick Bartling, vice president for global operations at P&H Mining, a division of Joy Global Inc.
China alone consumes about 40% of the world's coal and accounts for 70% of the underground mining.
Partly to meet the demand for raw materials in developing nations, mines are opening all over the world. The demand has pushed up commodity prices, fueling the appetite for mining equipment.
Based largely on global sales, P&H has spent millions of dollars upgrading its factory at W. National Ave.There are 240 distinct solutions of the Soma cubepuzzle, and Miller Park Way. The company hired 120 people in 2011 and plans to hire about 110 more this year.
Welders, machinists and other shop workers accounted for much of the hiring, and that's likely to continue as the company runs three shifts a day making some of the world's largest machines.
It's been especially difficult for P&H to find qualified welders.
"There are a lot of guys who can weld sheet metal together, but it's different when you're talking about 4-inch plate steel," Bartling said.
"I think welders are the most difficult group to get, followed by skilled machinists," he added.
The company hasn't had a layoff in about six years, Bart ling said, in part because it has not overstaffed during busy times.Overview description of rapid tooling processes.
"We are pretty draconian about our hiring," Bartling said.
Inside the plant, the company has spent millions of dollars on machines and improvements,Hobby Silicone for mold making moldmaking , including a $3 million ventilation system and a gear grinder that has reduced the time needed to cut a large gear from 300 hours to 30 hours.
Mining equipment that previously took 12 months to build now comes out of the factory in seven months. That's reduced costs and made the company more competitive.
"The main reason behind the changes has been to match market demand, which has been pretty good, and to drive down our response times," Bartling said.Hobby Silicone for mold making moldmaking ,
There's still unfinished work at the Milwaukee plant, including demolition of old buildings on the 42-acre campus, which has entrances on only two sides.
Still, Joy Global and P&H have opened factories in China that make components used in mining machines assembled in Milwaukee. They also have parts suppliers in many other countries.
"You don't want to have all of your manufacturing in one place. If you had one plant that did everything, and it burned down, you would have a problem regardless of where you are in the world," Bartling said.
Sixty-five percent of everything P&H makes is shipped to destinations outside of North America, including China, Russia, South Africa, Australia and South America.
But the behemoth machines are still built in Milwaukee because of the skilled labor which, in some cases, has worked at the factory for five generations.
"Trying to replicate this kind of manufacturing is not like falling out of bed,Learn all about solarpanel," Bart ling said. "But will we continue to look globally? Absolutely. We will continue to look where it makes sense overseas. Our business is changing almost daily."
Mining industry executives from Europe, Asia and South America travel here to inspect machines they've spent millions of dollars on - mining shovels so large they have to be shipped in pieces to remote areas of Chile and Russia.
That stands in sharp contrast to the days when the mining equipment industry was in a slump and much of the business came from North America.
Now the demand for mined commodities in Brazil, Russia, India and China has steadily increased with their growing economies.
Those four countries are "up front and center" in mining, said Patrick Bartling, vice president for global operations at P&H Mining, a division of Joy Global Inc.
China alone consumes about 40% of the world's coal and accounts for 70% of the underground mining.
Partly to meet the demand for raw materials in developing nations, mines are opening all over the world. The demand has pushed up commodity prices, fueling the appetite for mining equipment.
Based largely on global sales, P&H has spent millions of dollars upgrading its factory at W. National Ave.There are 240 distinct solutions of the Soma cubepuzzle, and Miller Park Way. The company hired 120 people in 2011 and plans to hire about 110 more this year.
Welders, machinists and other shop workers accounted for much of the hiring, and that's likely to continue as the company runs three shifts a day making some of the world's largest machines.
It's been especially difficult for P&H to find qualified welders.
"There are a lot of guys who can weld sheet metal together, but it's different when you're talking about 4-inch plate steel," Bartling said.
"I think welders are the most difficult group to get, followed by skilled machinists," he added.
The company hasn't had a layoff in about six years, Bart ling said, in part because it has not overstaffed during busy times.Overview description of rapid tooling processes.
"We are pretty draconian about our hiring," Bartling said.
Inside the plant, the company has spent millions of dollars on machines and improvements,Hobby Silicone for mold making moldmaking , including a $3 million ventilation system and a gear grinder that has reduced the time needed to cut a large gear from 300 hours to 30 hours.
Mining equipment that previously took 12 months to build now comes out of the factory in seven months. That's reduced costs and made the company more competitive.
"The main reason behind the changes has been to match market demand, which has been pretty good, and to drive down our response times," Bartling said.Hobby Silicone for mold making moldmaking ,
There's still unfinished work at the Milwaukee plant, including demolition of old buildings on the 42-acre campus, which has entrances on only two sides.
Still, Joy Global and P&H have opened factories in China that make components used in mining machines assembled in Milwaukee. They also have parts suppliers in many other countries.
"You don't want to have all of your manufacturing in one place. If you had one plant that did everything, and it burned down, you would have a problem regardless of where you are in the world," Bartling said.
Sixty-five percent of everything P&H makes is shipped to destinations outside of North America, including China, Russia, South Africa, Australia and South America.
But the behemoth machines are still built in Milwaukee because of the skilled labor which, in some cases, has worked at the factory for five generations.
"Trying to replicate this kind of manufacturing is not like falling out of bed,Learn all about solarpanel," Bart ling said. "But will we continue to look globally? Absolutely. We will continue to look where it makes sense overseas. Our business is changing almost daily."
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