Danuser Machine Co. works on expansion

Chief Engineer Gary Nickamp, left, Vice President Janea Danuser and co-Vice President Glenn Danuser, of Danuser Machine Co., stand in the company's new expansion. Behind them, founder Kasper Berry Danuser's slogan hangs on the wall, printed onto an antique crane.
Chief Engineer Gary Nickamp, left, Vice President Janea Danuser and co-Vice President Glenn Danuser, of Danuser Machine Co., stand in the company's new expansion. Behind them, founder Kasper Berry Danuser's slogan hangs on the wall, printed onto an antique crane.

Much like the company itself, Danuser Machine Co.'s new expansion embraces the past and present while looking toward the future.

The 11,500-square-foot addition to the venerable Fulton manufacturing company is due to be completed by the end of the year, and contains mostly administrative space.

"It more than doubles our current office space," Vice President Janea Danuser said. "We're really excited to spread out and add efficiency."

She added expanding administrative digs will allow the company to hire more people as it continues to grow.

In the previous cramped quarters, some employees shared offices. The entryway had little space for people waiting for meetings. Not so in the new space.

The entryway soars high overhead and faces State Street. To the right of the entrance is space for a conference room. Off to the left is a bank of windows where the offices will be. There will be a large coffee room and a training room as well, Janea Danuser said.

And hanging in a place of pride is a bright yellow crane with the slogan "Good enough won't do - it must be right." The quote comes from Janea and her brother and co-V.P. Glenn Danuser's great-grandpa, Kasper Berry Danuser.

"This is an original crane from the original building," Janea Danuser said.

Kasper founded the original shop in Fulton in 1910, and the company's stayed on the spot ever since - though it's grown quite a bit in 107 years. Some traditions remain the same. Janea said the company still serves milk during breaks, hearkening back to Sky-Go Farms (a dairy company founded by her grandfather Henry Danuser).

Danuser Machine Co.'s most recent expansion, not counting the current one, was completed in 2014.

"We're in a growth pattern," she said. "We made some good choices."

She and Glenn said the company made strategic capital investments in 2009 and 2010 during the economic downturn, with the assumption the economy would eventually recover.

Glenn said in addition to that plan, Danuser Machine Co.'s new products have buoyed its success.

"We're building quality, innovative attachments," he said. "Our attachments are unique, rather than the same old products, so we don't have to compete with all the other companies."

He mentioned the company's new Mega Mixer, designed to mix large quantities of material, which started shipping just last week.

Many of the company's products will feature in the and decor of the new space. Janea Danuser said that there'll be a giant "showcase wall" to show off things like ball joints and the company's laser-cutting capabilities.

Chief Engineer Gary Nickamp said behind the front desk, there will be a wall made of the "skeleton" left behind after laser-cutting a sheet of metal. Outside, a rain chain made of scrap and other equipment will transport water elegantly from the roof to the ground.

Nickamp headed up the planning and design process for the new building, and that's not the only thoughtful feature he added.

"All the heating and air is geothermal," he said. "We've dug 16 wells (under the) parking lot. The lighting is LED lights, and most of it is motion-activated. We also tried to do a lot of natural lighting."

He also planned out the offices so departments that regularly interact are closer together, encouraging collaboration.

The company is planning an open house for next spring so that members of the public can see the new space.

Both Danuser siblings agreed this expansion will help the business continue its pattern of growth for the future.

"We hope to add one more expansion before the end of our tenure," Janea said.