Koechner Manufacturing expands facilities

<p>Democrat photo / David A. Wilson</p><p>The new addition to the Koechner Manufacturing facility in Tipton is on the right end of the building in the photo above. This new part of the building is 50 by 170 feet in size.</p>

Democrat photo / David A. Wilson

The new addition to the Koechner Manufacturing facility in Tipton is on the right end of the building in the photo above. This new part of the building is 50 by 170 feet in size.

Moniteau County is seeing a number of building projects. Some of the projects are new and some are remodeling of older facilities, as reported in the California Democrat a few weeks ago.

Koechner Manufacturing, Tipton, is expanding its facilities, in order to expand its business capabilities.

The company is noted for its manufacture of turkey coops, which are permanently mounted on trailers.

An average year has seen production of about 30 trailers. But, this year, so far, there are nearly double that many trailers on order or already completed and delivered.

The latest expansion is an 8,500-square-foot addition on the west side of the current facilities. According to Mark Koechner, the new 50-by-170-foot addition has been in the planning stages for about four years.

Now, it is being built by Construction Solutions and Contracting LLC Brian P. Smith, Sedalia.

"All of the trailer preparation and cage preparation work will be in (the new addition), after painting," Koechner said. "They will be ready to load and we will be able to load completed cages on a trailer inside, to be ready for delivery."

Koechner said that, because it is a big move for the company, this construction project took several years of planning.

"The company needed to expand to remain competitive," Koechner said. "Some have thought that Cargill is the main customer. In actuality, Koechner's Manufacturing markets to the entire continental U.S. and Canada."

This is not the first addition for expansion purposes.

Koechner said the company started with a 7,500-square-foot building. In 1973, an 8,500-square-foot addition was built. In 1985, another 6,000 square feet was added.

Each time, it was thought that the company had all sorts of room to operate. But before long, the space had filled up and more space was needed. Everyone hopes this takes care of it for awhile.

Since the newest addition is actually taller than the section it is being attached to, a new roof is having to be built to connect the new part with the older part, to prevent problems with drainage during rainstorms.

Koechner said everyone is looking forward to completion of the new project.

"We're hoping to be moving in by October," he said. "That's my dream date."