Unico Inc. is moving equipment into its completed headquarters building expansion in Franksville, which ended up being larger than planned.
The Regal Beloit Corp. subsidiary originally planned a 45,000-square-foot addition, but expanded it to 60,000 square feet during final planning. The company also made some renovations to its existing facility. The total project cost was $8 million, higher than the original $6 million estimate.
“As we got into the project and as business continued to improve at that facility, we did decide to expand it,” said John Perino, vice president of investor relations.
Unico makes control products and artificial lift pumps for the oil and gas industry at the facility, 3725 Nicholson Road in Franksville. It is now about 120,000 square feet.
“The strength of the oil and gas exploration in North America and South America has aided that product,” Perino said. “Demand for that product has continued to be strong. That product unit, especially the artificial lift products, have expanded, almost doubled in sales since 2010.”
Unico had 217 employees at its Franksville facility prior to the expansion, and now has about 275. It plans to add another 117 employees as a result of the addition.
Production will ramp up in phases through the end of the year, Perino said.
