Sexton Can to improve manufacturing line
As it celebrates 65 years in Decatur, Sexton Can is making improvements that could allow it to add a new product in the future.
Now a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc., Sexton is investing $6 million to add capacity to the fourth of five manufacturing lines at its plant located at 3101 Sexton Road.
Elizabeth Dietrich, business unit manager for Sexton, said at Thursday’s Decatur Industrial Development Board meeting that her plant produces two-piece steel aerosol cans for automotive after-market refrigerant.
“If an air conditioner starts blowing hot in your car, instead of going to a technician or mechanic, you might go to Auto Zone, Walmart, O’Reilly or another car parts store and buy one of these cans to recharge the refrigerant,” Dietrich said.
IDB attorney Barney Lovelace said Sexton is the only facility in the country that manufactures these aerosol cans.
He pointed out that Sexton’s trademark is the “smiley face” on the bottom of the can.
Dietrich said the smiley face is a patented pressure relief device for aerosol safety and performance. The device allows contents to evacuate safely through the bottom so the can remains intact in the event of over pressurization. This reduces the likelihood of severe injury if the can is mishandled during use, storage or transportation.
The planned improvements will increase production capacity by about 20%, but it won’t add any new employees. The majority of the investment will be in manufacturing equipment and installation.
Construction is set to begin in June and projected for completion in the late fourth quarter of this year or early in the first quarter of 2027, Dietrich said.
“Right now, we’re not able to serve another industry because we haven’t had the capacity,” Dietrich said. “This expansion will allow us to move into a new market.”
She said the expansion allows Sexton to “ensure our customers that we’re going to be able to make this product for them and then some additional products too.”
Dietrich added that expansion sets the company up for more possible additions in about three years.
Sexton has an annual payroll of $8.7 million as it employs 125 workers who make an average of $67,500 in annual salary. The new project won’t add employees, but Dietrich said it will help with the goal of increasing the number of full-time employees.
Excerpt from The Decatur Daily article by Bayne Hughes