Our capabilities guide includes Dane’s history, a brief overview of our core capabilities, and a snapshot of some of our key equipment. Take a peek to get a closer look inside our state-of-the-art facility. We’re constantly improving our facility, investing in technology and expanding our capabilities. Don’t see what you are looking for? Contact Us and let us know.
Dane Manufacturing was established in 1917 by a group of local investors looking to develop and manufacture a below the frost line water pump. Throughout its 100 year history, Dane has adapted through numerous major historical moments in US history including the Great Depression, World War II and Vietnam, and adapted to major innovations from the toggle light switch (1917) to advanced robotics and automation of today.
Dane’s First Logo Featuring The Can’t Clog Hog Feeder
Humble Beginnings
Dane was started on May 28th, 1917, by a group of founders who set out to invent and manufacture a below-the-frost-line water pump that could withstand the freezing Wisconsin winters. After a few short years, their participation in the agriculture industry paved the way for a new product line. By 1920, Dane’s primary product was an automatic supply hog feeder that had been invented and patented by Robert Otmere Dohm, the majority shareholder of Dane Manufacturing at that time. The hog feeder, appropriately named “The Can’t Clog Hog Feeder”, became a staple throughout the industry. After a successful run, the company branched out to other areas, including metal fabrication, paving the way for what the company has become today.
Adapting Through Adversity
Dane successfully navigated through the Great Depression which began in 1929, but a number of factors threatened their company soon after. By 1941, the original patent on the Can’t Clog Hog Feeder had run out and nearly every manufacturer dealing in farm equipment had entered the market with a similar rotary feeder. Despite the growing competition, Dane stuck to its primary focus, providing a high-quality product while maintaining production efficiency. Further complicating matters, WWII had begun and the industry saw skyrocketing steel prices and a shortage of supply.
Though the Dane team successfully navigated the increased competition and supply chain challenges during the start of WWII, operations ceased June 30, 1942 in compliance with restrictions from the Federal War Reparations Board. Even so, Dane leadership was not idle. Faced with growing competition, material shortages, and increased labor costs when operations would resume, Dane leadership planned investments in new equipment and modernized manufacturing methods. Following 15 months of closure, Dane was able to reopen October, 1943, and production resumed. Despite continued material shortages and uncertainty, Dane’s boldness and innovation positioned it to deliver the quality and operational efficiency that would keep it competitive for years to come.
Accelerated Growth
Bolstered by a strategic approach to navigating numerous difficult business situations, Dane’s focused growth continued for the next 20 years. By the mid 1960s, gross sales had surpassed $250,000 and the company continued to focus on facility expansion and plant optimization by adding another 6,500 square feet of manufacturing space.
Troy Berg, Dane Manufacturing in the early 2000s
In 2001, Dane Manufacturing and its 12 employees were acquired by its third owner Troy F. Berg. At the time, Dane was a relatively small metal fabricator but the opportunity intrigued him. Troy told his crew of 12 people at Dane, “The world doesn’t know who we are now, but they will hear from us soon”. His vision was to put the company on the map as a premier metal manufacturing company.
At the time, Dane’s business was largely concentrated in small stamped parts and sheet metal ductwork used in the housing industry. Planning for growth and diversification into new markets, Troy figured out a way to invest in his business and bought the first new machine. Troy’s bold management style and leadership positioned the company well for double digit revenue growth up through 2007. Then, realizing that the economy was about to tank, Troy carefully considered his options. Similar to the leadership of Dane decades before him, Troy used the worsening business conditions as an opportunity to adapt and innovate. He made the bold decision to expand by purchasing a second company focused on acquiring their clientele and increasing volume for Dane. Through both organic and inorganic growth, Dane reached nearly 10 million in annual revenue by 2010, more than 7 times the size when he bought the company. The growth trajectory continued through aggressive expansion efforts and a continued investment in technology. Today, Dane Manufacturing is annually listed in the Fabricator’s Top 40 list, recognizing the top 40 metal fabricators in the United States and has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing companies six times.
A Culture of Innovation and Boldness Continues
Dane’s history is rooted in innovation, a tone set by its earliest leadership, when they pioneered a new technology for the agriculture industry and navigated their way through the Great Depression and WWII. This mindset continues today and serves as the backbone for how we serve our customers.
In 2021, Dane moved from its long-time warehouse in Dane, WI to the neighboring town of Waunakee, WI. The new 510,000 square feet of space paved the way for a number of operational improvements, plant layout strategies and new capital investments, all made with an eye towards better serving our customers. In April 2023, Dane completed installation of a STOPA automated material handling system. Combined with integrated Trumpf equipment, we are able to unlock fully automated processes thereby expanding production capability and efficiency. We’ve also acquired and installed our own Class A paint line which added in-house finishing capabilities for our customers. We continue to invest in technology by adding equipment and capabilities to meet the needs and future requirements of our growing customer base.
Over the course of our 100 year history as a contract manufacturer and metal fabricator, our mission has been focused on innovation, adapting to our customer’s needs and operational excellence. Today we offer award-winning end-to-end contract manufacturing solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of each of our customers. The combination of our operational excellence, highly skilled workforce and state-of-the-art factory, delivers unparalleled performance to our customers. We aren’t planning to stop there. Like our predecessors, we continue to place an emphasis on future oriented strategic planning, technological advancement and employee development. As a result, we keep getting better.
Want to Learn More About Us? Contact Us.
In 2022 we began an aggressive capital equipment investment strategy that included long-term strategic planning with Trumpf to design a state-of-the-art smart factory. This long-term strategy was completed with our customers in mind, growing capacity, efficiency and reliability.
With our original vision now implemented and in operation, we operate with fully automated capability thanks to our collaboration with Trumpf. Our STOPA Automated Material Handling System along with our high-end Trumpf equipment is seamlessly integrated into our current production operations and offered numerous benefits including autonomous material handling, real-time inventory management, that truly unlocked unattended automated production. This project has resulted in a 52% increase in machine usage and a 48 hour up-time improvement on production start times adding efficiency and capacity for our growing customer base.
Take a closer look at our facility and capability through the spotlight video below. Want to learn more, or come see it for yourself? Contact Us.
In 2022 TRUe a publication produced by Trumpf, sat down to discuss Dane Manufacturing and hear directly from our President and CEO Troy Berg about the impact of partnerships and our relationship with Trumpf which is over two decades old. From the first equipment purchase to the execution of our vision for a fully automated factory, our collaborative relationship with Trumpf continues to drive our pursuit of growth and innovation.
Article Excerpt:
Today, Dane Manufacturing is located in the Wisconsin town of Waunakee, named a “fair and pleasant valley” by the Ho-Chunk Native Americans who originally hunted and fished the region. But the company was still six miles to the north, in the village of Dane, when its partnership with TRUMPF began more than two decades ago. It was shortly after 9/11 when Troy Berg attended the 2001 FABTECH show in Chicago and discovered TRUMPF equipment. Berg had just purchased Dane Manufacturing with its ten employees and little over $1 million in sales from the widowed half of a husband-and-wife team, and he was looking to expand into fabrication. Little did Berg realize then how his relationship with TRUMPF – and his business – would dramatically expand in the years ahead.
President Trump Visits Dane Manufacturing
On October 1st, 2024, we had the opportunity to host President Trump at our Waunakee, Wisconsin facility. Guests and dignitaries heard from local men and women, a Dane employee, and past Governors Scott Walker & Tommy Thompson. President Trump closed the event with over an hour’s worth of remarks. The event was not only a success, but a massive testament to the work and dedication of our team members who were able to prepare our facility for this high-profile event in just a few days.
A Flurry of Activity
Transforming our facility into a welcoming environment suitable for hosting this event was no small feat. With just a few days to work with, our team sprang into action and got to work getting our facility ready. This included moving equipment and machinery, moving walls and partitions and more. Site security and event logistics were critical, and our team worked together with the campaign team and the US Secret Service to make sure the event was both successful and safe. Once the event was complete, the work continued. Our team worked around the clock to reset the factory and get production back up and running efficiently for our customers.
Gratitude and Reflection
As we reflect on the experience, we are extremely thankful for the dedication and teamwork exhibited by our amazing staff. This event was a huge undertaking and serves as a reminder of what our team can accomplish when we work together with a common goal. We are also thankful to President Trump’s campaign team for reaching out to us about a visit. It was a tremendous honor to have a United States President visit our facility.
Certainly, we celebrate that there are passionate and valuable viewpoints on a number of very important issues impacting our communities and our country. We encourage our employees and the Waunakee community to research the important issues impacting our state and country and to share their voice by voting for the candidate of their choosing in November.
We are thrilled to announce the arrival and installation of the Trumpf 8400 to Dane Manufacturing’s shop floor! We have had a long-standing partnership with Trumpf, a global leader in industrial machinery. Continual investment in cutting-edge technology enables us to bring innovation and excellence to our customers through a state-of-the-art factory.
The Trumpf 8400 is a versatile manual die bending machine, capable of bending large and heavy parts up to 26 feet and will expand our operations while continuing our emphasis on precision and efficiency allowing us to expand with the growing requirements of our customers.
Delivery and installation of the Trumpf 8400 required extensive operational planning combined with the efforts of our skilled staff and Trumpf specialists working collectively to successfully deliver, install and set up the new piece of machinery.
The journey from delivery to installation has been captured to showcase the collaborative effort of this exciting upgrade to our facility.
Want to learn more about us and our other Trumpf machinery? Contact Us.
The words “entrepreneurial spirit” may not be ones heard often in many workplaces. However, it is a concept stated in our mission statement and ingrained in how we operate and strategically plan our next steps. Our 100-year history growing from a small family-owned operation to a leading player in the metal fabrication industry has instilled in us a deep appreciation for innovation, resilience, and the willingness to take calculated risks.
We understand the challenges of scaling a business because we’ve been there ourselves. Inevitably, our mindset, combined with our experience heavily influences our approach to serving our customers.
What is an Entrepreneurial Spirit?
Ingrained into our culture by our CEO Troy Berg, our mindset is characterized by innovation and a desire to adapt, grow and change. As a result, we’re always looking forward and pursuing strategic change. Whether it is acquiring new capabilities using the latest technology, purchasing land to position ourselves for growth, or strategically tackling new challenges, we do them with a mindset geared towards solving our customer’s problems and anticipating their future needs.
In fact, this spirit has been a part of Dane Manufacturing for many decades. Dane’s operations ceased in mid 1942 in compliance with Federal restrictions during WWII. As a result of the changing landscape, Dane’s shareholders expected a significant rise in costs and growing competition. Leveraging their spirt for growth and innovation, they used the time during the shutdown to evaluate manufacturing methods searching for operational improvements that would make them more profitable and planned for capital investment in new equipment to further improve their manufacturing capabilities.
Today, this spirit continues. In 2021, Dane acquired a new campus featuring over 510,000 square feet of manufacturing space and evaluated operations and plant layout to optimize efficiencies. We also continue to invest in technology, most recently with the strategic installation and integration of our STOPA material handling system, which fully automates portions of our manufacturing capability.
“We get excited about innovation and change. By constantly looking forward, we’re able to continually pursue operational excellence and can rapidly address our customer’s growing needs.”
Troy F. Berg, CEO
Embracing Innovation and Change
How does this mindset impact our customers? The entrepreneur in us ignites our passion for growth and innovation and drives us towards strategic investments in capacity creation, operational improvements and speed, which are pivotal for supporting the sustained growth of our customers.
- Anticipate Customer Needs: With our in-depth industry knowledge and forward-thinking approach towards manufacturing, we collaborate with our customers to identify growth opportunities and develop tailored strategies for their business.
- Enhancing Efficiency Together: By leveraging our advanced machinery, cutting-edge technologies, and proven process optimization techniques, we provide customers with streamlined operations, minimized downtime, and maximized output without compromising on quality.
- Expanding Capabilities: Our success hinges on our customer’s success. Our customers gain access to a wide range of capabilities and expertise that are positioned to support them every step of the way, and we constantly add to or evolve our capabilities through adoption of the latest tech.
- Building Stronger Connections: Our mindset is to innovate and change so that our customers can grow. But change requires constant collaboration, knowledge of our customer’s businesses, and continual partnership. Our teams constantly apply a partnership mentality and look for ways to adapt, grow and change in a way that will impact our customers directly.
Locking It In Through Our Core Values
The mindset is just the start. To turn a mindset into a tangible benefit that customers feel and experience, it must be engrained into company culture. While our leaders are entrepreneurs at heart and innovation and change comes naturally, our entire company must embrace this mindset.
As a result, we work hard to instill a company culture that is value-based and focused on innovation and excellence. Our company’s core values set the tone and are shared prominently to serve as marching orders for our leaders, production team and everyone that works at Dane.
Manufacturing That Delivers
The words entrepreneurial spirit are not just a buzzword at Dane; it is a fundamental part of our DNA. From our earliest beginnings, to our current status as a Top 40 metal fabricator in the industry, our history has been fueled by innovation, resilience, and a proactive approach to challenges. This spirit drives us to constantly seek new opportunities and solutions that anticipate and meet our customers’ evolving needs, giving them confidence in their future with Dane.
Want to learn more? Contact Us.
DANE MANUFACTURING UNVEILS REDESIGNED WEBSITE
[Waunakee, WI, July 24, 2024] Dane Manufacturing, an award-winning contract manufacturer and metal solutions provider launched a newly redesigned website at www.danemfg.com.
The new look, feel and message of our redesigned website marks an important step in our company’s growth trajectory. The past several years have been significant as we’ve transitioned into a new facility and continued our investment in state-of-the-art equipment to better serve our growing customer partnerships. The new website seeks to communicate the scale and extent of our end-to-end capabilities and showcase our exceptional team and the personalized service that allows to deliver an exceptional manufacturing experience for our customers.
About Dane Manufacturing
Dane Manufacturing is a leading provider of high-quality metal fabrication services and contract manufacturing solutions. With extensive capabilities, an automated factory and a dedicated workforce, our customers enjoy the wide range of expertise we can offer, and the personal approach we take to every partnership. Located in Southern Wisconsin, we are a dedicated workforce committed to using our state-of-the-art facility to deliver exceptional products and services to a diverse range of industries.
For more information, please visit www.danemfg.com.
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