COOKEVILLE, TN—Integrator and specialty machine builder ATC Automation recently expanded its operations here with a 72,000-square-foot facility focused solely on clean assembly. An open house held May 16-18 to celebrate the new facility drew nearly 700 people, including employees and their families, local chamber of commerce members, customers and supplier representatives. Visitors were able to view more than 25 robots performing their routines, as well as machine assembly operations.
According to Angela Smith, sales team administrator at ATC Automation, the expansion increases the size of the Cookeville campus to more than 200,000 square feet. ATC also opened a 25,000-square-foot facility in Monterey, Mexico, location opened earlier this year. The company builds and integrates highly engineered machines that support assembly manufacturing and testing processes. ATC employs nearly 300 people globally.
“This expansion showcases the visual expertise we deliver to our customers with each project, and allows us to continue our growth trajectory,” says Bill Curran, president of ATC. “U.S. manufacturing is resurging, and ATC Automation is located in the heartland of this growth. Our people and deep talent is what sets us apart, and the ability to have a creative concept while using the latest innovation and technology keeps us at the forefront.”
“The expansion includes an automation lab and designated customer secure areas that puts us in a unique position to service Life Science Customers and other new product introductions where customer privacy is essential,” explains Gene Bressler, vice president of sales and operations at ATC. We are seeing a strong interest and growth in continued reshoring in manufacturing all across North America. In fact, business from sectors and markets that left several years ago are coming back with renewed interest and, more importantly, investment in the U.S.”
Bressler says that ATC’s business growth is well supported through strong community relationships with Tennessee Technology University and the local trade schools. A strong commitment by the company’s management embeds leaders at the local school level to ensure that tomorrow’s workers are equipped with the right education options.
“This is done at the university, as well as in local high schools,” notes Bressler. “Our partnership and support from our suppliers has been phenomenal. It is a tribute to how we invest in our business when working with anyone, founded on a relationship of trust and respect.”
Among the many vendors in attendance was Kistler Instrument Corp. Chad Ramsey, field engineer and IPC applications specialist at Kistler, discussed his company’s partnering with ATC to provide a testing solution for end users of custom equipment. The Kistler NCFH Joining press with integrated piezoelectric force sensor and MaXYmos monitoring and control family enables ATC to test equipment with a maximum 400-millimeter stroke and 60 kilonewtons of compression and tension.
“This unit provides quantifiable data to ATC’s customers at its new testing lab, explains Ramsey. “The use of piezoelectric sensors allow for flexibility and range without the loss of accuracy. Such capabilities, along with robustness, are what make this joining press unique, and provide the end user with a more comprehensive engineering experience.”
ISO-9001:2015-certified, ATC builds systems for manufacturers in the transportation, life science, energy storage and consumer-products industries. These systems feature state-of-the-art robotic, servo, vision and dispensing technology. For more information on ATC Automation, call 931-528-5417 or visit http://www.automationtool.com.
