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"Right now we're working on a line for the heavy equipment industry," he noted.
Shure's newest product line, the Shuretech Bench System, was designed with the home garage in mind, said Smith. The modular build-your-own system integrates tool and parts storage with a large work surface and 400-pound drawer capacity. Buyers can combine the cabinets in a way to customize the setup that suits them best.
Some of this push into new industries is driven by the economic slowdown being felt particularly hard by the auto industry, but Smith notes that these are all markets that Shure has long wanted to pursue.
That list includes health care, fast food, medical research, training centers, retail outlets, movie theaters, golf course maintenance facilities, floral shops, veterinarian offices and more.
CEO Andrew Richardson said Shure's products are a natural fit with all of these industries.
"We have pretty diverse, wide-ranging capability," he remarked. In the past, Shure has done some work with a few of these industries. For years, the company has manufactured security drawers and pass-thru products that have been a staple at movie theater ticket windows and fast-food restaurants like McDonald's, noted Smith. Now Shure is targeting those same customers only with new applications.
Local Customers
Shure Manufacturing has built a relationship with local industries since it moved to Washington back in 1995. It has worked with companies like Bourbeuse Valley Cycle Center, Ziglin Graphics, Trilogy Labs and Riechers Tire and Auto, to name a few.
One Washington company has been a Shure customer for nearly seven decades. Modern Auto installed Shure workbenches in its service area back in the 1940s, when Modern Auto was located in Downtown Washington and the Shure plant was on Hanley Road in St. Louis.
In 2004 when Modern Auto moved its dealership out to Highway 100, the car company again turned to Shure to design and build the cabinets and bench systems for its new facility.
Shure customized the workbenches for Modern Auto by installing a sink in the center, noted John Feltmann, service director at Modern Auto. More than four years after the Shure benches were installed in the body shop, they still look like new.
"They almost build them too good," Feltmann remarked of Shure's quality. "You never have to replace them because they hold up so well."
In fact, one of the workbenches Shure made for Modern Auto back in the '40s was removed from the old downtown body shop and is now on display in the cafeteria/meeting area at the Shure plant. It's weathered and worn, but still in excellent condition - a testimony to the company's commitment to quality, said Peter Richardson, president of sales and marketing.
Shure is an internationally known company with customers all over North America and Western Europe, and has even worked with some companies in South America and the Middle East. Still local customers like Modern Auto and the WHS Athletic Association mean just as much.
Shure has a great partner in Washington and the Franklin County area, said Andrew Richardson. The company has long been a supporter of the WHS Athletic Association, regularly purchasing advertising on its sports calendar, and also donates to charitable groups like the Franklin County Area United Way and the Washington Rotary Club.
Inside the Factory
Shure employs between 65 and 70 people and occupies a 95,000-square-foot facility at 1901 W. Main St. in Washington. When the company ac-quired the building in 1995, it built an addition that enabled it to acquire new equipment and upgrade its paint line.
Shure uses a powder coating paint method because of its durability - it resists chipping, flaking and peeling. It also is environmentally friendly, because it contains no solvents, has no VOCs, requires less energy, and produces less waste than wet paint.
"We started powder coat painting in '95 when we moved to Washington," said Peter Richardson. "Back then not many other companies were using it . . . We were one of the first."
Recycling and energy efficiency are a priority at Shure. The company uses recycled steel in making its products, and it takes steps to recycle its solvents, wastewater, cardboard, paper, aluminum . . . everything it can. All of the lighting throughout the factory is energy efficient, as well.
Shure's state-of-the-art manufacturing plant is a shining example of what the company offers it's customers - a clean, organized, efficient workspace to maximize productivity, states Peter Richardson. Shure even utilizes its own equipment in its manufacturing processes.
"We provide storage, workstation and organization solutions to streamline efficiency in our customer's facilities as well as our own. We are continually working towards developing new, innovative products to improve the organization requirements of today's busy facilities. We like to lead by example, and we enjoy showing off our factory to our customers," said Peter Richardson.
Shure has it's own research and development area as well as design center where engineers use computer-aided drafting software to design custom products and Shure's marketing department can create artistic renderings of these designs.
"One of our competitive advantages is our ability to develop customized equipment for our customers," said Peter Richardson. "We have the ability to design, engineer and manufacture equipment solutions for any type of business, and our customers continue to be appreciative of this value-added service from a high-tech manufacturing company such as Shure Manufacturing Corporation."
Family Owned
Shure Manufacturing is owned by the Richardson family. Those running the company today, Andrew and Peter Richardson, are grandsons of Shure co-founder, Joe Richardson.
According to the Shure history found at the company's Web site, shureusa.com, "Shure dates back to 1910 when Richard C. Richardson and a partner operated an architectural sheet metal workshop in St. Louis. In 1920, Richard's son, Joseph A. Richardson, joined his father as a sheet metal craftsman. He later became a registered professional engineer and industry leader.
"In the early 1930s, Joseph joined Anheuser-Busch, where he worked on the fabrication of metal ice cream cabinets and beer dispensing boxes. In 1938, Joe Richardson and a friend leased a Texaco service station.
"The business taught Joe how to best merchandise and sell tires, batteries, accessories and to sell automotive service," the Web site reads. "The sideline business later formed the basis for the direction of Shure Manufacturing Corporation.
"In December 1941, Joe Richardson joined with Samuel J. Shure in St. Louis to start a metal working shop. As World War II began, the company focused on war related products such as airplane parts, fire extinguishers and stove cabinets.
"After the war, Richardson relied on his automotive experience when he was asked to assist another St. Louis company in filling a contract for General Motors. Shure and Richardson were given an order to manufacture high quality, enamel finished workbenches, cabinets, merchandise displays and desks for General Motors dealer service centers.
"Eventually, Shure began to help national accounts, such as Shell Oil, Texaco, Conoco, Firestone, Chrysler and others to equip their retail sales and shop environments with productive and image related merchandising furniture fixtures and cabinetry. Shure supported and continues to support independent automotive jobbers and equipment distributors and national account programs to best serve its markets.
In 1995, Joe Richardson's son, Dan Richardson, moved Shure to Washington. Part of the reason for the move was the caliber of employees found in Franklin County, said Peter Richardson.
"We are proud of our relationship with the Washington community, and we are fortunate to have very loyal and dedicated employees," said Peter Richardson. "We're committed to expanding our business and enjoy helping other companies in Franklin County obtain the equipment they require to improve organization and efficiencies in their businesses."
