Alexin sees success, focuses on local plant

June 20, 2012

By JESSICA WILLIAMS
Try making a couple hundred million dollars in less than five years.
Local manufacturer Alexin has.
“We’re a recycler,” said Tom Horter, Alexin LLC president and CEO, said. “We recycle aluminum scrap back into aluminum extrusion ingot. That’s where our name comes from, Alexin.”
This product is made after purchasing scrap and blending it with aluminum. It’s melted down and cast into aluminum logs and billets for their customers, Horter said.
According to the company’s website, its products are used in the distribution, machinery, military, medical and electrical marketplaces.
“We founded the company after identifying a market need and built our plant in 2008, started up in 2009 and finished our ramp-up in 2010 or so,” he said. “This is still a relatively young company in the early stage.”
The other founders and Horter came from all over the country, but worked together at some point and ended up forming a business.
“And here we are,” Horter said.
Bluffton offered an ideal site for their customers, Horter said, and provided a welcoming environment for individuals in business.
“We enjoy operating a business in the city and we think the city enjoys having us here,” he said.
Alexin employs 68 people from all around the region.
In four years, Horter said the company has seen “tremendous” progress.
“We went from having zero sales to currently we’re (at) $220 million in annual revenue, so we’ve grown substantially,” he added.
Last winter, Alexin built a scrap processing plant on facility grounds and in the process added four jobs.
“That was a great little project for us,” Horter said.
They buy their aluminum scrap from the Midwest and sell their product to the Midwest.
Horter sees expansion in the future but his first priority is the Bluffton plant.
“Our goals are first and foremost to make sure that we are solidly profitable and running a smart operation,” Horter said. “Of course Alexin will grow when growth is prudent (in) other geographical regions, most likely in the coming years, but first and foremost we are focused on this plant and getting it well-tuned.”