A Surprise Location

Janus International Corps West-Coast operation exceedshopes

By Elaine Foxwell

Janus International Corp.s West-Coastoperations has experienced such significant growth that it increased itsworkforce fourfold. Janus, a Temple, Ga.-based manufacturer of steel roll-updoors and other storage-facility components, opened its Arizona manufacturingplant in Surprise, a Phoenix suburb, in June 2003. The 43,000-square-footfacility is a smaller version of the companys Georgia plant.

Seeking to reduce freight costs to its West- Coast clients,Janus announced its expansion plans in 2002, the year the company was founded. Once company leaders settled on the metropolitan Phoenixarea, it was the building, industrial park and quality of life that attractedthem to Surprise, says Raymond Siciliano, general manager of West-Coastoperations. We care about where we go to work and where we bring ourcustomers. That area is so suited for industry; but its not your typicalindustrial park. Theres no doubt where this city is going, and we want to bepart of it.

The People

The divisions continued expansion has led to the additionof several experienced industry professionals. Were exceeding ourexpectations and being proactive about staying ahead of our growth, Sicilianosays. Janus was established to improve storage-industry products and service,and you simply cannot do that without the right people in the right positions.

Janus is about being progressive with both its products andpeople, adds Lisa Black, West-Coast regional sales manager. Since wevestructured the management of projects through one person, from the initial quoteto completion, the process is much more effective. I can concentrate on sellingthe product.

Janus increased its Surprise workforce from 10 to 40employees, and expects to have a staff of around 70 by the third year ofoperation. At least 60 percent of the companys workers are hired locally.Recent additions to the West-Coast team include:

Door Design

inherent deficiencies in storage products. Among the quality issues addressed were: broken springs, shipping damage, dents, nonbearing friction, unequal spring tension, and door curtains dragging against the door guides. The foundation of the Janus door is the spiral tube thatencloses the entire axle assembly. This enclosure accomplishes two things. First, it adds a structure to the door no other product has.Second, it allows the tension-set device to accurately adjust the springs onboth sides of the door. The added structure of the axle, combined with the equaltensioning, forces the door on a straight travel path.

In addition, Janus has re-engineered its door packaging toeliminate shipping damage and made tension-set devices and bearings a standard,not an option. Company President David Curtis, who has 24 years of experience inthe business, holds four patents for his roll-up door design. Janus alsospecializes in self-storage hallway systems.

Self-storage accounts for about 70 percent of Janusbusiness, although commercial buildings and manufacturing plants also use itsproducts. In addition to shipping doors all over the United States, the companyhas customers in Canada, Central and South America, and Puerto Rico, and isaggressively pursuing the European market.

For more information, call 866.562.258; e-mail[email protected]; or visitwww.janusintl.com.