Bluffs, Illinois (WGEM) — Westermeyer Industries, just outside of Bluffs, Illinois, is almost back to full capacity and is hosting an open house this month.
Just two years ago, the Westermeyer Industries building caught fire, destroying two-thirds of its structure.
Westermeyer Industries has been rebuilding for the past two years and will host two open houses later this month to honor the first responders and showcase the reconstruction to the public.
Gary Westermeyer, president of Westermeyer Industries, said he is excited to be back in full operation and ready for what the future holds.
“Being back on our feet and fully operational means the world to us. We thank God we made it through. We had a great team that supported us to get here. Although the fire was devastating, in some ways it didn’t destroy us, it just gave us a chance to grow into the future,” Westermeyer said.
Gary and his wife originally founded the company in 2001 and specialized in industrial refrigeration equipment.
The fire destroyed 75,000 feet of the building, including the main offices.
After the fire, Westermeyer set up his office in his house for the first three months. Fortunately, thanks to the rescue workers, 3,700 square meters of the factory were saved.
While the fire destroyed most of the building, Westermeyer saw it not only as an opportunity to rebuild, but also as an opportunity to expand operations to 10,000 square feet, increasing the lost space by an additional 3,250 square feet.
This additional space made it possible to install additional machinery to improve operations, such as robotic welding equipment and laser cutting technology.
“We have taken this opportunity to reinvent the business and lead us into the future,” said Westermeyer.
Westermeyer Industries will host an open house on August 24th to thank first responders and an open house for the public on August 25th.
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