Founded in 1946 and based in North Syracuse, NY, G.A. Braun, Inc. engages in the design and manufacture of laundry equipment. Its industrial laundry products are used by hospitals, hotels, cruise ships, and commercial and industrial laundries, as well as by government and correctional facilities. The company serves customers in the United States and internationally.

In 2007, G.A. Braun received a $600,000 Manufacturing Assistance Program capital grant to assist with the costs of new machinery and equipment required for the company’s expansion into a larger, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The company chose to build the new facility at Hancock Airpark near Hancock International Airport in Syracuse.

VIP Structures was hired by G.A. Braun to design and construct the $13 million, 155,000 SF manufacturing facility that was more than twice the size of its existing facilities. Six buildings at the Hancock Airpark site were demolished before construction began in spring 2008. Work was completed by fall 2008 and the entire operation took occupancy by February of the following year.

The facility is laid out in pods dedicated to particular pieces of equipment. Some tasks that previously were outsourced, such as powder-coating, are now handled on-site. Cranes spanning the plant’s ceiling were installed to move parts and equipment throughout the facility. There are also extensive testing and process-simulation capabilities in each manufacturing cell, providing G.A. Braun with the ability to now test equipment in real-life laundry environments.