[April 15, 2012] Flint Cliffs gets heavy into metal Tweet Apr 15, 2012 (The Hawk Eye - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- When John Schulz was a chief engineer at Case, the firm asked Klein Manufacturing Co. of Burlington if it could make a specific part. Klein's answer was it couldn't because all it made was hog feeders and water equipment. When Schulz bought Klein Manufacturing Co. in 1993, he was determined to diversify the company's metal fabrication capabilities. Under the new name of Flint Cliffs Manufacturing, the company went from 90 percent of its business geared to the agricultural market to customers in diverse fields. The agriculture side of the business shrank to less than 6 percent of Flint Cliffs' revenue. Any more, the company only makes hog feeders for Big Husky once a year, and constructs 20-, 40- and 60-bushel versions. "For a little company, we can do more things than any other local company," Schulz said of Flint Cliffs' manufacturing capabilities. Advertisement These days, Flint Cliffs Manufacturing can make products for the following industries: construction, recreation, food, communications, home improvement and the federal government. And the company's client list reads like a who's who of local and national companies. Flint Cliffs Manufacturing works with American Ordnance, General Electric, Case New Holland, Winegard and Borghi on the local level, and many others across the nation such as John Deere. "If we see drawings, we find a way to do that for the customer," said Jeff Schulz, Flint Cliffs operations manager and John's son. Flint Cliffs can fabricate parts big and small, and in various shapes. The company even manufactured a practice golf club used by professional golfer David Duval years ago. However, most of the parts and products made by the Burlington company have an industrial use. Flint Cliffs once did a project for Case Wichita, which required 185 different parts. The total number of pieces manufactured was 3,300, and they were used to get a robot pilot fit up and build running. Among the processes Flint Cliffs can offer are welding, stamping, laser cutting, punching, machining, tube bending, assembly, storage and shipping. The company also can paint parts via powder coat or a wet spray. In order to work on federal government or military projects, Flint Cliffs had to achieve certain specifications and certifications when it comes to quality workmanship. "Certification and registration is important when you are in the military market," said John Schulz. Such quality has allowed Flint Cliffs to manufacture plenty of products for American Ordinance at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. Flint Cliffs has made roll bars for the m199 Howitzer and ammunition pallets for American Ordnance, and a prototype trailer for the Department of Defense. It is a new project with American Ordnance, which has spurred Flint Cliffs Manufacturing to buy its own robot welding system. Plans are to have the robot welding system operating by May. Once a computer program has the specs for American Ordnance's large steel box meant to hold C-4 explosive, the robot will do the majority of the welding. The robot welding system will do three tests on the steel box, and once those tests meet the required specifications, Flint Cliffs can go about full production of the product. Day & Zimmerman, the parent company for American Ordnance, honored Flint Cliffs with the Supplier of the Year award for two straight years in 2009 and 2010. A good problem for Flint Cliffs Manufacturing is Schulz has achieved the diversity he wanted when he first took over the company. "I can't tell you from one month until the next, we don't know who our number one customer is," Schulz said. Of course, the Burlington native brought a world of experience with him to his company after 19 years spent with Case. Schulz was the vice president of worldwide construction equipment engineering when he left Case and had been involved with his share of innovation. Since Schulz assumed the reins, Flint Cliffs installed a $2.5 million powder coat line from 1996 to 1998, installed a Bystronic laser capable of cutting 1-inch thick carbon steel in 2008, added a 2000-watt Strippit 1250 SXF-CNC punch press and laser cutting machine in 2009, and upgraded many more machines. The powder coat line allowed Flint Cliffs to paint parts according to specifications set by Caterpillar and John Deere. What makes the fabrication company run successfully is the roughly 40 employees manning the facility at 1600 Bluff Road. The longest-term employee in the plant is Chuck Sourwine with 45 years on the manufacturing floor. He called in sick only one day. Jeff Schulz said with the new robot welding system, the company could be hiring a few more employees. "We want to get guys that fit in," Jeff said, as the workers are familiar with one another. One thing Flint Hills doesn't do is shy away from any project. The company will give a customer a cost estimate and try to do whatever it takes to provide a quality product if awarded the contract. "You either change or you die," John Schulz said of his philosophy for achieving a diverse client base. Through 19 years, Flint Cliffs Manufacturing has broadened its scope under Schulz' direction and appears primed for future expansion. ___ (c)2012 The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa) Visit The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa) at www.thehawkeye.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]