South side Janesville factory Abitec is going to get a new outer skin – and in a few years, a modernized plant floor under that new roof and walls.
This week, Janesville’s plan commission OK’d Abitec erecting a new wall and roof over its existing manufacturing plant, which is just south of the former General Motors plant site off South Jackson Street. The move allows Abitec to expand its operation by 1,900 square feet on a lot that’s mostly landlocked.
Local architect Joe Stadelman worked through the new building designs with Abitec.
Stadelman says a new shell built over existing outer walls that are later removed is an unorthodox approach. He says the last factory project he saw like it was when a local playground equipment manufacturer did a similar build-over-top renovation.
That was more than a decade ago.
The city says Abitec wants to be poised for new growth, although the company hasn’t publicly given details.
An Abitec plant manager declined to give Big Radio details of the expansion, telling Big Radio he “doesn’t talk about Abitec’s product blend.”
In its own company literature, Abitec says it makes chemicals used to stabilize liquids in pharmaceutical and personal care products.
