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August 23, 2019

Berlin manufacturer eyes expansion, plans to build new HQ

LoopNet One of the industrial tenants at 500 Four Rod Road is buying an open portion of the property to build his company a new headquarters.
By Matt Pilon

Amid growing demand from its commercial customer base, a Berlin metal fabrication shop needs more space, but its planned move will be as convenient as it gets.

Complete Sheet Metal has been leasing 3,600 square feet at 500 Four Rod Road since Berlin native Jeff Michaud founded the business in 2017. It’s one of several industrial tenants in the approximately 100,000-square-foot building, which is owned by Cromwell-based realty developer William Coons III. 

Now, Michaud has struck a deal with Coons’ LLC to subdivide and purchase an open 2.4-acre portion of the 22-acre property, where Michaud will construct a new 11,500-square foot building for his shop, effectively tripling his space.

The project could cost somewhere between $800,000 and $1 million, Michaud said in an interview.

That’s a sizable investment for a company with six full-time employees (up from three when it opened), but Michaud wants to buy new machines for folding metal into custom shapes and perhaps expand his product lines.

“It’ll hurt initially, sure,” he said of the investment. “But I knew putting up my own building was eventually going to pay off in the long run.”

Michaud, a Berlin native, said he wants to stay in town, where he has a five-minute commute and, more importantly, is close to a number of his key suppliers.

“In this business that’s key,” he said. “Everybody is last minute and they need it right away.”

The project received a key approval on Thursday night from Berlin’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

Michaud said he hopes to have the new facility built within the next 18 months.

Complete Sheet Metal operates solely in the commercial market. Core clients include roofers, window installers, masonry companies and exterior wall panel contractors.

Michaud is bullish on the commercial market in New England, and he said metal has become more popular among property developers in recent years, compared to plastic or vinyl. 

“The commercial market is doing very well,” he said. “There aren’t many small fabricators that can supply customers with these custom shapes that they need to finish the exterior of these buildings.”

Photo credit: LoopNet flex-space listing for 500 Four Rod Road

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