03/31/08

This winter our PWC Fabrication division upgraded several pieces of equipment.  They replaced their production air compressor with a new higher capacity model, replaced their radial arm drill with a new model and replaced their circular cold saw with a new model. 

12/04/07   

We honored recently retired Dennis Garland, Project Foreman at our annual Christmas party.  Also honored were two co-workers who reached 30 years of service with our company. They are Tom Tuttle, Traffic Manager and Mike Kauzlick, Field Superintendent.  Bob Fruchey was also honored as our first 35 year co-worker.
10/27/07 The Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne honored Don Fruchey as their first Temple Master Preservationist. 
01/22/07 This evening the founder of our company, Don R. Fruchey, passed on to a better place at age 82.  He started with few financial resources in 1950.  But, he left with a long history of successful projects and a family of co-workers, both past and present.  He retired in 1980, but his influence is still being felt.    
06/12/06 Because project delivery time has become increasingly important, our PWC Fabrication Division has added a fourth detailer to its staff. 
12/06/05 At our annual Christmas party, we honored recently retired Terry Hamrick, Project Foreman, and Bob Dunfee, Driver.
 
We also honored four of our co-workers who reached 30 years of service with our company. They are Ron Andrews, Project Foreman, Tom Dobbelaere, Project Foreman, Jim Lowden, Safety Director, and Dave Fruchey, V.P. 
09/30/05 Our PWC Fabrication Division replaced its phone equipment with a state-of-art system. Because of customer requests, a voicemail system was also added.
09/12/05

In another step toward reducing project delivery time, our PWC Fabrication Division has just added a third detailer to their office staff. 

05/05/05 To expand our capability to serve our industrial customer’s needs, we replaced our 125 T cable crane with a 175 T hydraulic crane.
02/18/05 Our PWC Fabrication Division implemented new software which should significantly
reduce project delivery time. The software includes capabilities for material nesting/ordering, project management and inventory control.
12/07/04 We honored one of our assistant field superintendents, Mike Campbell, at our annual holiday party. Mike is retiring at the end of the December.
 
We also honored Leo Herendeen, project estimator, for 30 years of service with our company.
07/15/04 We finished the complete replacement of our computer workstations/server, operating systems and Office software. This upgrade was also done for our PWC Fabrication Division.
03/17/04 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. was honored by the Building Contractors Association for having no lost time injuries in 2003. The award was presented at the BCA Construction Trade Show in the Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum and was accepted by Safety Director Jim Lowden.
02/02/04 Our PWC Fabrication division added a new high-speed vertical band saw, 20” x 24”.  The saw has a solid-state programmable logic controller for all mechanical, electrical and hydraulic functions.  With its programmable feed, it can cut up to 99 different lengths from one bar of steel.
12/02/03

At our annual holiday party, we honored five of our foremen who retired this year, Steve Carroll, Chuck Ellis, Leo King, Bob Lukasheay and Keith Pomeroy. Also retiring and honored was Larry Kumfer, heavy equipment mechanic.

At the party we were pleased to honor Kevin Bushee, operating engineer, who has been a part of our company now for 30 years.

Recognition was also given to Shawn Malone, operating engineer. Shawn was at home and heard an explosion at an industrial plant in Huntington, Indiana. He went to the plant and assisted in the evacuation and providing first aid.
10/28/03

Our PWC Fabrication Division added a digital blue print copier to their detailing department. This will greatly increase their speed in printing and copying blue prints plus adding the ability to scan in drawings.
08/25/03

We are pleased to announce Adam Fruchey’s safe return from service in Iraq and Kuwait.
05/14/03

For our fourth year, Don R. Fruchey, Inc. will be the corporate sponsor for the SCAN Children’s Garden on the grounds of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne.  SCAN (Stop Child Abuse & Neglect) started the Garden as a way for people to honor loved ones with a living tribute.
03/07/03 The Army Reserves recently called up co-worker, Adam Fruchey. He left today for the Iraq area. We wish for him and all the military a safe return from their mission. They have our sincere thanks for their service.
12/03/02 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. honored Bobby Lukasheay and Bob Fruchey for their 30 years of service with our company. We are proud that almost every year, on average, we have added to our 30 year list. The presentation took place at our annual holiday dinner.
08/25/02 Fruchey replaces one of its hydraulic gantries with a new 500 ton capacity unit. The new gantry has a greater capacity at higher elevations than the older unit. It also gives us an additional safety factor because of its improved stability.
06/22/02 Fruchey and PWC held our annual picnic at the Wizard’s baseball stadium. The entertainment was a baseball game with evening fireworks.
05/28/02 PWC Fabrication Division purchased a new bending roll to add the ability to roll pipe, tube, rod, angle and channels down to 8” diameter. A new mill was also purchased to speed production time by being able to cut keyways in shafting on site.
03/02/02 Our co-workers attended the American Red Cross “A Tribute to Heroes” dinner. Fruchey sponsored a table at the event which honored heroes in the Ft. Wayne area. This was the first year for the event and was a great success. Everyone was impressed of the courage of some very special local people.
01/15/02 Please be aware that the area code for our company has changed from 219 to 260. Our old area code will still work for 6 months.
11/16/01 Les Sherman past away today. Les was manager of our PWC Fabrication Division for many years when PWC was in its original building on Meyer Road. We wish his family well.
11/13/01 To round out the fleet, Don R. Fruchey, Inc. adds a new double drop trailer. This trailer gives the option of providing customers more deck space with 9’ front and rear upper decks and a 30’ center deck.
09/28/01 PWC Fabrication Division agrees to build two new barges to help replace the 50 that were called into service for debris removal from the 9/11 attack in New York.
08/14/01 The gazebo that our company contributed to the SCAN (Stop Child Abuse & Neglect) Children’s Garden was identified with a plaque stand built by PWC Fabrication Division.  The plaque reads “In honor of Don & Catherine Fruchey and the co-workers past & present of Don R. Fruchey, Inc.”  Each addition to the Garden is making it more and more beautiful. 
06/29/01 As part of the conversion of PWC Fabrication Division to “Fruchey colors”, the exterior of the fabrication building is being painted “Fruchey green”.  In addition, to make the interior of the building a more productive work environment, all walls, building columns and the ceiling are being painted white.
05/07/01 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. adds an 80,000 lb. capacity fork truck to the fleet.  It can be expanded to 100,000 lb. capacity, when required. This new unit will often replace the need to send two fork trucks for heavy lifts.  
03/29/01 Seminars are held at Don R. Fruchey, Inc. to train co-workers on the impact of the new OSHA Subpart R standards on steel erectors and fabricators effective on  September 16, 2001 in Indiana.  To make sure our customers will be properly served on that date, PWC Fabrication is immediately changing detailing practices to comply with these regulations.
03/20/01 PWC Fabrication Division donates materials and labor to fabricate a 500 lb. steel “Frank Lloyd Wright Birdhouse” that will be auctioned at an annual event sponsored by the Fort Wayne Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  The proceeds will be given to Daybreak Children’s Shelter.
01/08/01

This past fall, PWC Fabrication Division responded to a request from a national customer and began accepting Visa/MasterCard payments.  All PWC and Don R. Fruchey, Inc. customers may now take advantage of this payment service.
12/29/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. trades two cranes for new units. A 65T hydraulic is replaced with a 70T hydraulic, and a 25T hydraulic is replaced with a 40T hydraulic. This will give us additional capacity and flexibility.
12/05/00 At our holiday dinner, Tom Arnold and Leo King, ironworker foremen, are honored for 30 years of service with Don R. Fruchey, Inc.
11/30/00 PWC Fabrication replaces its 1/2" x 10' plate roll with a new hydraulic model. This will boost their rolling quality.
09/25/00 PWC Fabrication adds a new 10ga x 6' roll to expand the range of their rolling capabilities.
07/19/00

SCAN (Stop Child Abuse & Neglect) announces that Don R. Fruchey, Inc. will contribute the gazebo to SCAN’s Children Garden which is located on the grounds of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne.

07/04/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. and PWC Fabrication Division celebrates the 4th with a co-worker picnic at the Ft. Wayne Wizards game and fireworks.
06/03/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. has 50-year anniversary celebration dinner for co-workers at the Ft. Wayne Coliseum.
04/28/00 Tom Arnold, ironworker foreman, retires from Don R. Fruchey, Inc. Tom first worked for Fruchey in 1970.
04/25/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. adds additional 75T Mobilift to its equipment fleet. The Mobilift has become a valuable piece of equipment for our customers because of its ability to set up quickly in tight areas and make heavy picks.
04/17/00 PWC Fabrication replaces its burning table with computerized unit. Drawings can be drawn in AutoCad and transferred to the table by fiber cable.
03/23/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. is honored at SCAN luncheon for its support of the organization.
02/28/00 PWC Fabrication adds additional AutoCad detailer to its staff. This will greatly increase their ability to move a project from order to fabrication.
02/17/00 Don R. Fruchey, Inc. links its computer servers to PWC Fabrication to allow PWC to share in Microsoft Exchange's security and e-mail features.