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Quanex’s Rice Lake, Wis., facility celebrated its 50th anniversary on Oct. 5, 2022.
The facility opened in 1972 to become closer to one of Quanex’s largest customers, says Rice Lake plant manager Jeff Sieg.
Quanex says that longevity is a staple of the Rice Lake facility. It is home to the longest-tenured employee at Quanex.
“That proximity helped us better serve their needs with quick delivery of our screens, and it positioned us well to have a major manufacturing presence closer to several strategic partners in the Upper Midwest,” says Sieg. “It was hugely beneficial for our customers and our growth throughout the next several decades.”
The Rice Lake facility has been an important part of Quanex’s North American Fenestration division, says Bob Daniels, president of Quanex North American Fenestration.
“Their quality, innovation and customer commitment have helped us truly offer the total package to our customers throughout the continent,” says Daniels.
The facility today produces around 25,000 window and patio door screens per day. The facility throughout the years received four major expansions that increased its footprint to 300,000 square feet.
Productivity and size are not all that the facility has going for it. Quanex says that longevity is a staple of the Rice Lake facility. It is home to the longest-tenured employee at Quanex. Additionally, eight of the company’s 10 longest-tenured employees work at the Rice Lake facility, and it employs more than 50 employees with more than 20 years of service.
“I attribute that longevity and diversity to something very simple: We take care of our people, first and foremost,” says Sieg. “No one is just another number here. Everyone gets treated with dignity and respect. I think it’s a great example of how manufacturing can be a great career for anyone, no matter who you are.”
