SAF, a global metals distributor, fabricator, and finisher, is opening a new chapter in the company’s nearly 80-year history with the relocation of its manufacturing and corporate operations to a new, modern facility in Lithia Springs, Georgia.
Penn McClatcheyThe move to this new location — 12 miles west of its former site in Atlanta — enables SAF to operate in a more manufacturing-friendly setting, one that will also be more sustainable.
The new facility — dubbed Sweetwater because of its location next to Sweetwater Creek State Park — offers key logistical advantages for SAF and its customers. Conveniently situated near I-20, it provides easy access for trucking and transportation and is near SAF’s Villa Rica plant. The facility includes eight outdoor loading docks for optimized logistics and distribution.
“Our new operations in Lithia Springs provide our entire team with a state-of-the-art production facility,” says Penn McClatchey, CEO of SAF. “Our former location consisted of multiple buildings spread across the campus, but the new location brings everyone under one roof to enhance collaboration and efficiency. And we’re employing the latest technology to reduce waste and our carbon footprint.”
A 100-kilowatt solar farm will power the 120,000-square-foot facility to lower energy usage. The plant also features motion-sensing lighting systems to automatically turn off lights in unoccupied areas, further conserving electricity. The office features UV lights designed to sterilize contaminants to minimize respiratory illnesses, much like those used in healthcare environments.
“We are forging ahead based on what we started nearly 80 years ago, honoring the past while always progressing and evolving,” says John McClatchey, vice president of sales and marketing at SAF. “The new facility is a much more attractive workplace, which will help with recruitment and retention. It will also enable us to deliver better throughput, increased efficiency, and superior product quality.”
SAF’s move to the Lithia Springs headquarters will be complete in 2025.
SAF is a mill-direct aluminum buyer, an approved fabricator for major aluminum composite panel (ACM) manufacturers, and a mill-direct buyer of aluminum coil and extrusions. In addition to providing custom fabrication, painting, and anodizing, SAF Fabrication engineers aluminum, panel, and column systems for commercial building projects worldwide.
Visit www.saf.com.
