World Class Manufacturing Leader
Granger Industries has a long history of exceptional design, superior manufacturing quality and a reputation for far exceeding expectations in rotational molding and manufacturing. With roots to John Grimes Sr. who was one of the "founding fathers" of Rotational Molding in the United States, the company’s foundation was based on his experience. His son, also John Grimes founded Granger Industries, Inc. in 1994. A 40 year pioneer himself the Grimes family’s influence was integral thru the history of Rotational Molding and Granger Industries has followed closely this reputation.
By 1998 the company needed to expand in both capacity and leadership. Expansion in machinery and equipment were made boosting the rotational molding capabilities and allowing Granger to manufacture larger parts. It was also at that time that John required additional skills to pursuit more ambitious opportunities, so they added an important member to the team.
The new member was Jim Cravens, a long time associate of Mr. Grimes also with a past in rotational molding. Jim was brought in during a significant period of growth and expansion. A Mechanical Engineer by education and profession, Jim has over 25 years of experience in steel fabrications. Much of this experience was gained during his tenure in the commercial lawn mower industry which included design, manufacturing, research, development and production. He additionally brought to the table almost twenty years of rotational molding experience to further reinforce his vast understanding of steels and metal fabrications. This valuable combination was the perfect match for Granger’s specific needs.
As Granger Industries continued to grow it began to broaden its scope in to a wide-ranging number of industries. The expansion has continued through additional areas over the last several years as well as into proprietary products. Granger has made several major renovations including boosting warehousing capacities to house more material to maximize gain from competitive material prices, as well as adding significant equipment to aide in its in-house fabrications and repairs. These improvements all help bring the most competitive pricing for clients but there is much more to this expansion. Granger has additionally made excellent strides in collaborating with pigment manufacturers and creating original effects by utilizing additives to create custom colors. These pursuits allow advancements in seamlessly using polyethylene to convert products from other materials minimizing the visual differences. Converting products from inferior materials to rotationally molded polyethylene has been an area Granger Plastics has continued to excel.
Granger also continues to move ahead in the plastics industry by developing proprietary products such as the Granger ISS Tornado Shelter which has become one of the most sought after shelters available due to its unique features and advantages. The Sandsaver™ Beach Erosion barrier is another innovation and product unlike any other providing a much more effective and environmentally responsible solution to beach erosion than the methods that are currently being utilized.
The latest lines of product additions include ForeverSafe Products, theft deterrent cemetery vases and urns. After identifying an ongoing issue of the theft of bronze vases in cemeteries across the nation Granger developed a polyethylene vase made to mimic the look of bronze without having intrinsic value. This theft deterrent product gives families who have experienced the theft of a bronze vase an alternative to replacing with the same material.
Granger has also launched Granger Aerospace Products, a separate division of the company. This expansion into the air cargo and aerospace industry moves Granger into territories that can be largely improved by the benefits of rotational molding. The air cargo containers developed by Granger Aerospace Products offer solutions to a number of inefficiencies seen in the aerospace industry. These innovations are the backbone of a company that continues to lead in whatever industry it pursues.
A Long History of Manufacturing Tornado Shelters
With nearly 20 years of experience of producing tornado shelters Granger has had the ability to recognize some typical concerns customers voiced regarding the design and installation specifics of other tornado shelters. It was first hand experience that led Granger to design and manufacture its own shelter, the Granger ISS, to deal with the typical problems seen with other storm shelters.
Through the many years of making shelters Granger has had the ability to recognize some typical concerns customers voiced regarding the design and installation specifics of other tornado shelters. It was first hand experience that led Granger to design and manufacture its own shelter, the Granger ISS, to deal with the typical problems seen with other storm shelters.
Committed to Continuing Development of the Granger ISS
Installation is an issue other shelter manufacturers have not been able to get around. Complicated anchoring systems and floating issues seemed to plague many other shelter designs. This problem was the premise for the reversed taper design which allowed for installation without any additional anchoring, a truly revolutionary thought in the storm shelter industry. The door being at an angle or partially out of the ground was another issue other units dealt with which is why the door of the ISS was developed to be level with the ground. These two innovations were the initial improvements the Granger ISS tackled yet there would be many more to follow.
From that success Granger continued to make developments that created a more secure and aesthetically pleasing unit. Granger has continued to develop the door for much easier entry and exit. The present door model includes standard a dual shock system for the easiest possible lift to open and close the door. The door also is available in many customized colors which allow consumers to minimize the appearance of the unit with landscaping or coordinate with house shades. Coordinating vent caps are also available and a new bolted on vent style enables several venting alternatives. Spacing added around the door frame allows optimum and constant oxygen flow into the unit allowing the vent to actually be a secondary source of oxygen.
Granger has continued to develop the entry with a non skid surface and now includes a led lighting system for increased security when entering the shelter. The easy three step entry and articulating handrails were also very deliberate features in the original design. This entry allows for many people to get to safety faster and easier.
Finally the newest development of foam loading the unit not only significantly increases the ease of installation, but also greatly resists condensation and maintains the interior temperature inside the shelter. Innovation is an integral part of Granger's production philosophy and the advancements to the Granger ISS is one example of that commitment.
