It is an exciting time for Indiana metal manufacturing. As the industry heads into 2024 many firms are diversifying as they continue to invest in growth. The state of Indiana, in particular, stands poised to take advantage of this growth. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Indiana has more than a quarter of the United States’ steel making capacity and has more manufacturing jobs per capita than any other state. It also has one of just five remaining U.S. primary aluminum smelters.
Those factors make IMH Products a key component in the metal manufacturing industry. According to President Eric Odmark, IMH is ready to meet the needs of this growing industry in the coming year.
“For 2024 we are seeing our customers continue to invest in new growth in the USA. Many of them are struggling with finding qualified labor and are looking at outsourcing further down the value stream. IMH Products is quoting more weldments and full assemblies than ever before, as our customer are demanding more “plug and play” components.”
– Eric Odmark, IMH President
Planning Beyond Growth
One of the key components to being prepared for the future in the manufacturing industry is diversification. IMH Products provides components to a wide diversity of industries from defense to EV charging and batteries. Odmark cited this diversification in his plans for 2024:
“IMH Products is a well-diversified supplier to an array of industries. This allows us to gain insight into many different market segments. 2023 was a unique year for many of our customers as demand was lumpier than in the previous several years. Some industries were working through excess inventory that was accrued from over buying in 2021 and 2022 as pandemic related issues rippled through the supply chain. Some of our customers on the construction side did see a slow down as interest rates have slowed the pace of new construction. Other customers we serve in material handling and defense industries saw an increase in demand.”
– Eric Odmark, IMH President
Diversification for the Future
This diversification has allowed IMH Products to thrive during some challenging times, and it has put the company in a position to meet future challenges head. One of the areas where IMH is expanding is in welding automation. The company currently utilizes multiple welding robots that products strong, accurate welds, and Odmark cites that it is looking to expand further there.
“At IMH Products, we have always prided ourselves on finding solutions to our customers problems and being willing to take on new challenges. IMH Products has been investing heavily in welding automation, and we are seeing increased demand on the assembly side as well. In 2024 we are expanding our Illinois plant by taking on an additional 50,000 square feet of new space to accommodate more downstream robotic welding. We are also exploring new programs to build expand our custom assembly operations.”
– Eric Odmark, IMH President
All this makes for an exciting time to be expanding in Indiana metal manufacturing, and IMH Products is ready to meet these challenges head on. For more information on how we can assist your industry contact us at sales@imh.com.