L&W Industries breaks ground in PIC

Dirt is moving at the new home of L&W Industries LLC in the Partnership Industrial Center.

The Springfield-based railroad signal products manufacturer is relocating to a 47,000-square-foot building at 3850 E. Mustard Way from its 3149 E. Chestnut Expressway operations.

“It’s a means of expansion for us,” said Vice President Jenny Carr. “Right now, we are in three different buildings. This will give use twice the acreage and get us all in the same building.”

While Carr said total square footage for the 46-year-old company only would change slightly, bringing all operations under one roof would streamline the manufacturing process for its 50 employees.

Rich Kramer, president of project general contractor Rich Kramer Construction, said the more than $2 million expandable building would include manufacturing and design space as well as offices and a sales department.

Werner & Associates LLC handled design work with engineering by Heithaus Engineering & Associates Inc., civil, and Smith-Goth Engineering Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

L&W Industries will lease the space from Durham Real Estate LLC for undisclosed terms. Carr said privately held L&W and Lebanon-based electrical component manufacturer The Durham Co. share some ownership.

She expects construction to wrap up in late July.