Pickett’s new neighbor:
Quality  Paint  & Coatings
(but it does much more than that)

by Ian Stepleton

ians@riponprinters.com

Quality Paint & Coatings.  To most Ripon-area residents, the name probably means little more than words on a new sign along Highway 44 in Pickett.

But,  as  chief  operating  officer George  Gutierrez  might  point  out, the name Quality Paint & Coatings (QPC)  might  be  deceptive.  Since being  founded  in  1989,  QPC  has
become  more  than  just  a  paint  and coatings shop.

While  QPC  fancies  itself  to  be the “premier provider of paint, dipping and coating technologies in the Midwest,” per its website, it’s grown to be much more.

In  serving  large  defense  and commercial  vehicle  manufacturers from  throughout  Wisconsin  and beyond, QPC has diversified to meet a  growing  list  of  needs  from  those companies.

And,  in  doing  so,  it  found  itself outgrowing  its  old  plant  outside Oshkosh  and needing  a  new  home for its headquarters and some of its industrial work.

That’s why it has moved into what long-time residents may know as the old canning factory in Pickett.

QPC has turned the aging facility into a state-of-the-art site that offers painting  and coating  services,  pre-treatment sandblasting, a fabrication department  and  plenty of  storage space for its customers.

In fact, work continues at the plant as it builds out within the facility for
additional  office  space  and  even  a new paint line.

Work began, though, at the Pickett location in early 2011.

“It came down to cost and availability,” Gutierrez said of why QPC selected the location. “[CEO] Chuck Nelson seized that opportunity …

“This  proved  to  be  the perfect place to do it.”

It was a bit of a shock to the Pick ett community at first, he explained, as  local residents  wondered  what their new neighbor would mean for the small town.

“[But] they embraced us,” Gutierrez  said.  “We’ve  been  getting  good feedback  from some  of  the  things we’ve done.”

QPC has landscaped the property, adding  trees  and  a  new  sign,  while sticking  a great  deal  of  money  into the facility itself.

Thus  far,  about  $2  million  has been invested in the property as the company transforms an old canning factory into a 21st-century industry.

“We’d like to consider ourselves a  first-rate  organization,”  Gutierrez said. “We’re committed to growth …

If our customers need something, we will adapt and we will react.”

He  explained  QPC  tries  to  live the  it’s  motto  of  “ready,  responsive
and reliable.”

To illustrate that notion, Gutierrez discussed how, though the company started with just paint and coatings, QPC has broadened its range of services as its customers needed more from the company.

“The  past  year  we  have  been diversifying beyond paints and coatings,” Gutierrez said, noting QPC has added fabrication/welding work and other manufacturing services, as well as storage. “Our process includes an ability to do surface cleaning for every vehicle part that comes through,[too]. We  blast  it  and  then  prime  it and prep it for painting.”

The painting ranges from “carc” painting,  as  it  does  for  military  vehicles,  and  “A-finish”  painting  for commercial vehicles.

“We suffered a little bit with the commercial market [in recent years] but  that’s bouncing  back  again,” Gutierrez said.

Business  actually  has  grown  a great deal for QPC recently.

“I  think  it’s  a combination  of Chuck  Nelson’s  entrepreneurial spirit  and  having  a  vision  for  the organization,”  Gutierrez  said.  “And our  customers  …  they  depend  on our ability to turn around and give a quality product.”

QPC has done so, satisfying customers ranging from contractors for the  U.S. Department  of  Defense  to Magnum Products of Berlin.

“In the past five years, we’ve seen a mixed growth to where we employed up  to  204 people,”  Gutierrez  said.  “Now we’re beginning to balance the human resources requirements with our product requirements.”

The workforce now has stabilized at a little above 140 employees, about one-third of which work at the Pickett plant (where almost all of the managerial positions are located).

“We run two separate shifts at both facilities, so we’re looking at 7 [a.m.] to 11 [p.m.] we have operations going on,” he said.

Though the move to Pickett was chosen  as  a  matter  of  convenience initially,  the expansion  into  the small  town  east  of  Ripon  has  been a  positive  one,  QPC  administration explained.

“This proved the perfect place to do it,” Gutierrez said, adding Pickett residents  have grown  to  love  their new neighbor.

“I think we are a good neighbor,” said  Jackie  Nelson,  wife  of  CEO Chuck.  “We  are very  concerned with  being  good  neighbors  to  our community …

“I remember when we came to the zoning  [committee  to  before  opening]. There was a lot of concern from the community. Some of those same people  who  raised  those concerns have come up to us and said, ‘Thanks.  It looks good.’”

QPC will continue its beautification efforts going forward as well.  “In  the  next  few weeks  we  will have three flagpoles flying the American colors, the Wisconsin flag and the QPC flag,” Gutierrez said. “It will be a welcoming sight as you drive into Pickett.”

He explained now that QPC has moved into Pickett, it’s made a commitment to the community.

“This  is  going  to  be  where  our headquarters  [will]  remain,”  he said.

For  more  information  on  QPC, call  the  company  toll-free  at  855-233-3039 or visit its website at www.qualitypaintcoatings.com.

In support of the hard work and dedication of those serving in the various military branches, the company staged a flyover picture opportunity, showcasing a US flag and a ‘We Support Our Troops’ banner.  Quality Paint and Coatings has shown its support of the men and women serving our country through its work on several military contracts.  The pictures and video of the event will be used to create displays at each of their facilities.

The expansion into a second facility has significantly increased the company’s production capabilities and has improved the overall flow of its production processes.  The new facility aids the company’s rapid expansion and services additional customers, creating more local, high quality employment opportunities for the area workforce.

The new facility, located in Pickett, WI has added approximately 90,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space which complements their existing facility located in Oshkosh, WI.   The new facility is home to the company’s corporate office as well as various painting and coating production processes.  The company employs approximately 150 employees between the two facilities and will look to add additional employees as they secure additional work.

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