(OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL – January 28, 2026)
Wieland, one of the world’s leading suppliers of copper and copper alloy solutions, has reached a major milestone in the $500M modernization and expansion of its facility in East Alton, Illinois. Topping off of the EA2030 structure marks the culmination of the first stage in this transformative plan and represents an ongoing successful collaboration between Wieland, the lead construction and design firms and local trade organizations and contractors amid live plant operations. Graycor Construction Company, alongside partner Helmkamp Construction Co., is the design-build team for the multi-phase project, which began in June 2024, working alongside design partners Vestal Corporation and Salas O’Brien.
“Each completion draws us closer to seeing the full scope of our comprehensive modernization and expansion project in East Alton and what it will contribute to Wieland’s growth initiatives in North America,” said Greg Keown, President of Wieland Rolled Products North America. “With copper having acritical role in the U.S. supply chain, this endeavor better positions Wieland as a provider of domestic sustainable solutions for our customer’s ever-changing needs.”
This week’s topping off milestone marks the completion of structural steel for EA2030, the new hot rolling facility. The building will house a hot mill line, a milling line, a cold rolling mill, high-bay storage with automated material handling, and overhead cranes, ultimately replacing the site’s original 100-year-old hot rolling facility. Graycor recognizes Merrill Steel and the United Iron Workers for their exceptional teamwork and craftsmanship in achieving this milestone.
“The partner team is proud to recognize this significant point, even as we continue to move forward to deliver this complex and multifaceted project on time and with minimized disruption to Wieland’s operations,” said Brian Feckler, Graycor Construction Company’s Midwest Division General Manager.
Through close collaboration with trade partners, the project team has achieved more than 125,000 work hours without a lost-time injury, reinforcing a shared commitment to safety and accountability. This milestone reflects a strong project safety culture built on trust, communication, and working together toward a common goal. Graycor and Helmkamp extend their sincere appreciation to the trades whose dedication continues to drive progress. Work continues on the next phase of the project, focused on process and equipment.
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About Wieland
Wieland is one of the world’s leading suppliers of semi-finished copper and copper alloy products. With a global network of more than 80 production sites, service, and trading companies, the company offers a broad product, technology, and service portfolio. From prototype to series production, Wieland develops solutions for automotive, aerospace, electronics, refrigeration, air conditioning, and many other industries. Wieland uses high-performance copper materials to drive the success of its B2B customers in future-oriented fields such as electromobility, connectivity, and urbanization. High technical competence, customer-oriented thinking, and sustainability determine their actions and have been the basis of the company’s success since 1820.
About Graycor Inc.
Graycor Inc. is a leader in managing building and interiors construction projects throughout North America. Graycor combines our local subcontractor and partner relationships with the company’s more than 100 years of national experience in the advanced facilities, cold storage, corporate, cultural/educational, energy transition, food processing, gas infrastructure, living and lodging, logistics and distribution, manufacturing, metals, retail/entertainment and shopping center markets. The combination maximizes Graycor’s capability to provide clients optimal service and product delivery. For more information, visit www.graycor.com.
About Helmkamp
Helmkamp Construction Co. is the builder of choice for professional buyers of construction in Industrial, Building, and Life Science markets, primarily serving corporate clients in the St. Louis metro area. Helmkamp offers pre-construction, construction, and design/build services, as well as out-of-state capabilities. Since 1938, Helmkamp has built relationships based on quality, integrity, and safety leadership. To learn more, visit www.helmkamp.com.
About Vestal Corporation
Vestal Corporation is an international strategic partnering firm providing specialty multi-disciplinary engineering, architecture, and construction consulting services through its Integrated Design approach since 2002. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO with offices in Houston, TX, Obregón, Mexico and Guadalajara, Mexico, Vestal and its team of more than 180 experts have mastered the latest technological design tools and possess expertise in the design of food and beverage, industrial manufacturing, commercial, government, and process wastewater facilities.
About Salas O’Brien
Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and technical services firm focused on advancing the human experience through the built environment. Our team is engineered for impact, helping clients achieve critical goals, advancing our team members through growth and opportunity, and operating at the center of important global issues, including sustainability and decarbonization. We are a top firm as ranked by Engineering News-Record and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, and we have appeared for over a decade on the Inc. 5000 list of North America’s fastest-growing private companies.
