Balluff 

Name: Balluff 

Address: 8125 Holton Drive  City: Florence  

State: KY  Employees: 110  

  Products: Electronic Sensors & Transducers 

   Balluff Inc. has completed construction of a new 18,000 square foot, two-story addition to its U.S. headquarters in Florence, Ky., expanding the facility by 45 percent to enhance its product design and manufacturing capabilities, as well as to speed deliveries to customers.

   Ground was broken for the $1 million expansion in July 2001 and construction was completed in January of this year. The addition brings Balluff’s total space to 58,000 square feet and will be used primarily to expand office, warehouse and manufacturing/test areas.

   Balluff, which manufactures sensors, transducers, identification systems and industrial automation components, will devote much of the space in the new addition to manufacturing and testing its growing lines of proximity sensors and Micropulse magnetostrictive linear position sensors.

   Balluff President Kent Howard said that U.S. production is necessary to meet strong growth in sales for its products, which are specifically engineered for rugged positioning and part sensing applications on automated machinery in the metalworking, automotive, plastics and packaging industries.

   Though growth in manufacturing has slowed dramatically, Balluff has maintained a fast pace of new product introductions, Howard says, and sees new opportunities in many of its target markets.

   “Despite the sluggish economy, with this expansion of our facility we are well positioned and prepared to take advantage of the recovery that is certain will come soon,” he says.

   With more than 40 years of experience in the field of sensor technology, Balluff is now one of the most capable manufacturers of electronic and electromechanical sensors, rotary and linear transducers, as well as identification systems. Innovative technology, state-of-the-art electronics and application-specific customer solutions are the hallmarks of our entire product range.
   Tucked away in the woods of Florence , Kentucky , its pastoral setting belies its high-tech mission and phenomenal growth. A Germany-based manufacturer of sensors and transducers, it has seen our sales grow at an annual rate of 25 percent since moving to Florence in 1983. This growth promises continued success in the years to come, says Howard.

   The quality management system of Balluff Inc. is registered by NSF-ISR to ISO 9001. Every activity which affects the quality of our products and services is planned, tested, monitored and documented.

   Balluff is a subsidiary of the German Balluff GmbH & Co., an independently held manufacturer of sensors and transducers, with more than 1,000 employees and sales of more than $100 million.

   Its wide product range includes transducers, precision switches, and industrial sensors. Its primary customer base in the metalworking, automotive and plastics industries has provided a stable base from which our technological innovation has branched into a broad array of applications. For example, Cincinnati Milacron, a world leader in plastic injection molding equipment, has standardized on Balluff transducers. Balluff sensors are used to control, regulate, automate, position, and monitor many manufacturing sequences. They can also be found in Universal Studios’ King Kong and Jaws exhibits in Orlando , Fla. , as well as at the Beach, a Cincinnati, Ohio-area water park, where they determine the size and number of waves in the wave machine. Balluff identification systems track the molds from which contact lenses are made.

   Balluff’s three-part mission statement emphasizes sensor solutions, superior service, and a commitment to our customers’ success. Balluff provides free samples for customers to test their products on production equipment to ensure successful operation.

   Balluff’s concept of service applies not only to its customers, but its employees as well. In addition to benefits and flexible schedules, Balluff’s local employees enjoy a sense of ownership in the company that comes from empowerment and is rewarded with a company wide profit sharing plan. Employees are challenged to solve problems for themselves and are given the tools to execute their decisions. In addition, the company pays 100 percent of employees’ tuition for continuing education, even if the courses they select aren’t job related. That’s a fringe benefit Howard says exemplifies Balluff’s overall commitment to positive thinking.