Mt. Vernon, Illinois, in Jefferson County, is situated at the crossroads of Interstate Highways 57 and 64, just one hour east of St. Louis, Missouri and one hour west of Evansville, Indiana. The north/south, east/west access to over 66 percent of the United States gives Mt. Vernon a premier location for manufacturing.
Manufacturing got its start in Mt. Vernon back in the early 1940s when the Mt. Vernon “Car Shops” produced thousands of railway cars and railroad equipment for the nation. Over the years the products have changed, but the talented workforce and productivity of the people has not.
Mt. Vernon is the Southern Illinois manufacturing hub with Continental Tire, National Railway, Magnum Steel Works, InnoTech Manufacturing, Nutherm International, Inc., Everbrite Neon Sign and Phoenix Modular Elevator leading the list of prominent employers. Bennett Metal Products and Schulte Industries, Inc. also contribute to the list of manufacturers in Mt. Vernon.
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC currently has 150 acres of manufacturing under roof with current expansions of another 300,000 square feet in the planning and construction phases. With 2,392 employees, CTA is the anchor of manufacturers in Jefferson County. CTA produces approximately 13.4 million PLT (passenger) tires and 3.15 million CVT (truck and utility vehicle) tires per year. CTA is a top line manufacturer utilizing robotics and modernization techniques where applicable.
National Railway Equipment Co. (NRE), headquartered in Mt. Vernon, is employee-owned and a global leader in the rail, marine and power industries. Offering engineering solutions around the globe, NRE – Locomotive is the world’s largest independent supplier of locomotive services, new and remanufactured locomotives, locomotive leasing, field services, parts and salvage operations serving Class 1, regional, short line, government and industrial railroads around the globe.
Magnum Steel Works Corp has been in business since 2005 and has grown from a 12,000-square-foot building to a 34,000-square-foot facility and now to a new state-of-the-art 128,000-square-foot facility on the west side of Mt. Vernon. Magnum Steel Works specializes in high quality machine works for manufacturing and the coal mining industries including: heavy fabrication, sheet metal fabrication, manual and CNC Machining MIG and TIG welding waterjet cutting, laser cutting, turret punch, rebuild services and CNC press brakes. The focus has been to adapt to projects that come through the door and add equipment that will help produce projects at the highest efficiency possible.
InnoTech Manufacturing, LLC (ITM) is a versatile, creative metals manufacturing company. With more than 70 combined years in the manufacturing and construction industries, the principles of InnoTech have consistently made innovations which save time and resources for the various construction trades. ITM specializes in MIG/TIG welding, plasma cutting, press brakes and custom CNC folding of many products. InnoTech performs their own powder coating of all finished products. In addition, ITM is an UltraLox dealer and manufactures aluminum railings for commercial and residential projects across the nation.
Nutherm International, Inc. is an innovative company committed to delivering world-class solutions to the commercial nuclear power industry and the Department of Energy that meet the demands of the 21st century while providing unprecedented levels of service. Established in 1979, Nutherm’s 1E products have evolved to include electrical power distribution equipment, control and instrumentation panels, instruments and instrumentation systems and over 8,000 qualified parts and assemblies. While Nutherm remains committed to the nuclear power industry, they have expanded their markets to include heavily-engineered, custom-built, electrical panels, instrument panels and distribution equipment for non-safety related applications. They provide risk management solutions that create financial returns for their customers and manufacturing partners.
Everbrite Neon Sign has been designing and manufacturing point-of-purchase signs, displays and outdoor identity systems since 1927. Everbrite has progressed to become a global leader in visual identification and LED lighting. As a world leader in the visual branding and identity industry, Everbrite services A-list companies throughout the world in markets including automotive, brewery, convenience stores, medical, retail petroleum and quick-services restaurants, to name a few. Everbrite’s dedication to excellence and innovation as well as world-class care for their customers has made them one of the brightest choices in the business.
Phoenix Modular Elevator (PME) is the largest producer of quality, commercial modular elevators in the world, with a 20-year international track record. PME elevators are manufactured elevators, meaning the hoist-way and the elevator car are built together as one unit, ready for installation. PME delivers high-quality, commercial elevators in less time and with a faster installation than the out-of-date, stick-built alternative. Once the complete elevator arrives on-site, it is craned into place, and the installer connects it to power and performs final testing and adjusting. With power connected, the elevator can be fully functional and ready for inspection in less than one week.
Bennett Metal Products, Inc. is a second-generation, family-owned, ISO-certified shop offering multi-axis CNC precision milling and turning, product prototyping, mechanical and electrical assembly, welding, waterjet cutting, conventional machining, short-run production, tool & die building and testing. Over the last five decades, Bennett Metal Products, Inc. has been committed to becoming one of the finest precision job shops in the Midwest and has experienced continuous and steady growth. Around-the-clock operation, combined with their central location and access to major interstate and trucking lines, enables them to ship products quickly and economically anywhere in the Continental United States.
Schulte Industries, Inc. does contract industrial sewing applications. Schulte designs and produces most renewable packaging needs along with internal packing concerns.