Spradlin Brothers Welding Transforms Business with CI Laser Cutters and More
Spradlin Brothers Welding Transforms Business with CI Laser Cutters and More
Opening for business in 1962, Spradlin Brothers Welding has grown from humble beginnings in a two-car garage to a 25,500 square foot state-of-the-art facility. Based in Springfield, Ohio, the shop handles a wide variety of work ranging from prototypes to production runs for industries including crane manufacturing, foundry equipment, oil and natural gas, and even a super store chain (manufacturing components for their buildings). “Our biggest goal is to keep satisfying customers with our work,” said President Jeff Spradlin. The success of this philosophy can be seen in the fact that the company has maintained relationships with some customers for over four decades.
First Laser Cutter
Spradlin Brothers Welding bought their first laser cutter in 2000. Cincinnati Inc. was a brand Jeff had known for years, so they were at the top of his list. He made a visit to the CI plant and got a demo of the CL-6 CO2 (2500-watt 5x10) laser cutter, but Jeff was a bit apprehensive as the company had no experience with lasers. Jeff recalls telling his CI rep “Prove to me a welder can run a laser.” The CI rep showed him how to nest and cut, and gave him a brief tutorial. Jeff loaded material, fired up the machine and cut away. In just 30 minutes, Jeff knew that he could run the laser and it was the right move for his business.
According to Jeff, the laser cutter raised profitability on the average job by 15% and the enthusiasm from customers more than justified the purchase. “The CL-6 was a real workhorse,” he said. “It definitely added a dimension to our business that wasn’t there before.”
Faster with Fiber
In 2019, Spradlin Brothers Welding added a CL-900 (8000w fiber 6x12) to the shop floor. Not only did the speed of the fiber laser increase throughput, but the company can now cut thicker materials: up to 1” in aluminum, stainless and steel. “Previously, we had to outsource thicker jobs,” Jeff said. “Now we can do it all in-house.”
Jeff also likes the fact that the fiber laser has much lower maintenance costs and fast preventive maintenance procedures, reducing downtime. In addition, the controls are also very similar to their previous lasers. “We use CI nesting software, which is simple to use and easy to program,” Jeff said. “We’ve had no learning curve to go through as we’ve upgraded through the years.”
Lasers and More
It’s not just laser cutters that make a difference at Spradlin Brothers Welding. In 2008, the company doubled its press brake tonnage by purchasing a MAXFORM 350. “The MAXFORM has better control than our old model and the 6-axis backgage makes complicated bending simple,” Jeff said. “Plus, its performance has been flawless since it was installed. It’s been a real rock star on the floor.”
American Made
“Cincinnati, Inc. has a reputation for building bullet-proof equipment,” Jeff said. “And it is built right here in Ohio. I would much rather speed money on an American-made product.” In addition, Jeff says that CI shares some of the same traits as Spradlin Brothers Welding. “We both want to do quality work and support our customers the best we can.”
Whether your fabrication needs run to laser cutters and press brakes, like Spradlin Brothers Welding, or other types of equipment like automation, shears, powder metal presses, or additive manufacturing, contact us and let us help transform your business.
