Heil Heads Out of Phoenix

Bill Wolpin Editorial Director

Heil Environmental Industries Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn., has announced it will close its Phoenix manufacturing facility and concentrate all North American refuse collection vehicle manufacturing at its Fort Payne, Ala., facility. The Phoenix plant closing, which is scheduled for August, will affect 125 employees. Approximately 25 to 50 employees will be hired at the Fort Payne location.

Distribution operations in Phoenix will not be affected by moving manufacturing operations to Alabama, and no products will be discontinued as a result of the integration. There also will be no change in the company's Western sales and support operation, Heil says.

Engineering and product development resources also will move to Fort Payne. Heil acquired the Phoenix plant in 1990 and according to Heil President Michael Jobe, the company determined the Phoenix facility will never reach the volume and efficiency of the much larger Fort Payne location. Fort Payne already is home to the company's research and development laboratories; customer and partner training facilities; customer and technical support center; and manufacturing engineering.