Above: Norco Industries specializes in fabricating complex structures for recreational vehicles.
May. 2026- Norco Industries, originally a small, family owned job shop in California, has since evolved into a top engineering and metal fabrication firm. Now operating from a 680,000-squarefoot facility in Elkhart, Indiana, the company serves such industries as recreation vehicles, medical devices, automotive, hydraulics, mining and petroleum.
Ron Belschner, director of maintenance and fixed assets for Norco Industries, says that over the past few years, the company has relied on ARKU Inc.’s technology for feeding and leveling its coils.
With two ARKU CoilMaster 30 machines and, more recently, one CoilMaster 50, Norco processes 40 million pounds of steel each year. The ARKU levelers handle coils from 9 to 13 gauge (2.3 to 3.4 mm) in thickness and up to 36 inches in width, primarily working with high-strength, low-alloy steel with a yield strength of 50,000 psi.
We are independently owned, in business at least 35 years,” says Belschner. “We started in California as an import/export company specializing in hydraulic lifting equipment. We moved to Elkhart to get closer to the RV industry, making different parts and accessories.”
For example, he says, “we make the chassis for the RV, and that is where we use the ARKU equipment. We have to get the coils leveled out and ready to be processed. This leveler is part of our cut-to-length line.” The line manages coils weighing up to 10 tons.
ARKU says that its user-friendly technology has helped Norco Industries meet customers’ increased demands for faster, more customized designs.
Matt Baas, sales engineer for ARKU Inc., Ron Belschner, director of maintenance and fixed assets for Norco Industries, and Rachel Pace, manufacturing supervisor for Norco Industries.
UPGRADE
Before installing the ARKU CoilMaster precision leveling units, “we used older equipment that was less reliable. It was a good, cheap entry point into the market,” Belschner says, “but we had an influx of new business. As we got busier and, as our customers expected more out of us, the equipment helps us differentiate ourselves compared with the peers in the industry.”
He notes that high-strength material “has more memory, which makes it harder to get completely That,” which is necessary for downstream processes such as laser cutting. “The new equipment takes all the bow out of the coil. We only need five to ten minutes per coil to achieve this process,” he explains. “The biggest advantage is that we can remove all internal part memory in terms of stress. Without effective leveling technology, memory remains, and suddenly you’re dealing with uneven parts.”
Norco Industries uses ARKU Inc.’s CoilMaster levelers to create flat sheets made from high-strength, low-alloy steel with a yield strength of 50,000 psi.
MORE UPTIME
Belschner says that another great benefit of using multiple ARKU levelers is it provides redundancy. “If we need to perform maintenance on one line, we can shut the line down and work on the other, but also we have doubled our throughput.” Throughout the Norco facility, “we look for efficiency, improvements like welding robots, but also improving throughput and product flow.” For instance, says Belschner, “we went from a bay buildout to a full-fledged assembly line. We greatly improved throughput there.”
“We always have our eye on all the ways we might improve efficiency.”
The company was not looking for lines that needed to fit a small space. “For us, we cannot focus on a compact footprint because we are building large components, and we need safety areas around the lines. For us, it is more about product flow.”
The company makes subassemblies for travel trailers and fifth-wheel-sized trailers up to the maximum length that OEMs provide to the general public, according to Belschner.
Dead-flat plate is ready to be processed into components for manufacturers of RVs.
ENGINEERING PROWESS
“One of the beauties of our products is that they are fully engineered. The chassis are going to be straight and square, and the outriggers and cross members are all placed in the right location. Our reputation for quality has been the driving force behind our success.”
As Norco continues to embrace industry changes, including the integration of AI, ARKU’s technology and support remain a strong partnership. “ARKU’s people come in quarterly to inspect our equipment and will do any repairs we need. They are a great partner and provide great customer service.”
RELIABILITY
“For anyone looking for a superior leveling solution, ARKU has proven to be a reliable and highly valued partner, and we look forward to growing this partnership even further in the future,” Belschner says.
Baden-Baden, Gerrmany-based ARKU manufactures precision levelers, deburring machines as well as coil line solutions. Its North American headquarters are in Cincinnati, with a second location in Greenville, South Carolina.
ARKU Inc., 513/985-0500, arku.com.
Norco Industries, 574/262-3400, norcoind.com.
