RFC Celebrates Grand Opening of Brooks Hall and Announces Next Chapter of Growth

voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation celebrated the Grand Opening of Brooks Hall and announced its next chapter of growth on Thursday, August 15th in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

In attendance were RFC Employees from its Shelbyville, Kentucky campus, Retirees, Former CEO’s, the founding Brooks Family, Suppliers, Manufacturing Representatives, local Leaders and voestalpine AG Leadership including Günther Felderer​, former RFC CEO (2002-2007) and current Member of the Board of voestalpine Metal Forming Division and Head of Business Unit, Tubes & Sections.​

A brief company history was provided as well as revisiting the moment in which RFC unveiled the Brooks Hall expansion back in August 2022 at its 75 Year Anniversary Event. Günther Felderer​ provided a few remarks in regards to voestalpine AG’s strategy. Kevin Dierking, RFC President & CEO, spoke about what Brooks Hall means to RFC’s overall strategy and the storied history of RFC’s Founders, the Brooks Family, and why this new investment was named Brooks Hall.

“At RFC, we have a history of being a leader in our industry. This investment we stand in here today does reflect voestalpine’s strategy to follow the customer with solutions in technology intensive sectors.  But, I would say it also reflects another step in RFCs storied history of connecting people and technology which dates back to our founders vision.  As such, we were compelled to honor that 77 year legacy by naming the facility Brooks Hall. 

This facility represents a critical step in our strategy to further develop value added services.  At the same time, we continue to invest in capacity and capability in our roll forming areas.

So, when I think about how we met this high bar, it really isn’t a surprise. We embrace challenges, we make commitments and we own it, and we win when we are all working together.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and everyone one of you.” 

– Kevin Dierking, President & CEO, voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation

Mr. Dierking then introduced Barlow Brooks Jr. up to the stage to address many familiar faces about the continuing of a family legacy.

“I stand here totally humbled and emotional. We are all here for one reason, to celebrate together with some of those who have made it possible, another milestone in the continuing success and growth of Roll Forming Corporation. We are here for the dedication of Brooks Hall, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Years ago, the founder of this company, my father Barlow Brooks Sr., said this and it is still very true today: “Anything can be accomplished when innovative people work together in harmony to satisfy their customers.” Everyone here today, together with those who preceded us, has worked together, and are still working together, to achieve our goals as they evolve. We are all important parts of creating continuing success. 

It is with a great deal of pleasure that I stand here today, representing the founder of this company as this wonderful new facility, Brooks Hall, is dedicated. I thank each of you individually, and all of you together, for making this possible and continuing a dream of one man. He had a dream. He put everything he had on the line and created this company. He would appreciate what you, all of you, are doing together to keep his dream continually becoming better and better. Thank you All.”

– Barlow Brooks Jr., Former RFC CEO (1975-2002) and Found Family

Mr. Dierking recognized those RFC employees who were key to the success of Brooks Hall and a ribbon cutting ceremony with some of those key employees followed.

Before the ceremony concluded, Mr. Dierking made a special announcement about RFC’s next chapter of growth.

We talked a little earlier about voestalpine and investments here in the US and specifically RFC.   Of course, as already mentioned, Brooks Hall is a great example… 

…We have secured agreements with two global commercial truck manufacturers for the production of high-quality structural components.   It will consist of a new hall located at our Indiana Plant site in Jeffersonville Indiana.  More to come on this exciting news as we look to a ground breaking in the next quarters.” – Kevin Dierking, President & CEO, voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation

(For more information on this announcement, please review the official press release from voestalpine AG.)

Guests were able to take a tour of Brooks Hall at the conclusion of the ceremony as well as visit the newly installed exhibit space that highlights how Brooks Hall fits into the overall strategy for RFC. On display were some of the full size components artistically arranged and structurally installed on a Profile Wall as well as the Beyond the Profile assembly exhibit highlighting how the further processing and assembling of those individual components are manufactured for global products and systems in which we recognize, know and use.

Brooks Hall was named after Roll Forming’s founding family, the Brooks family, who started Roll Forming Corporation back in 1947.

In the 1940’s, when RFC was a fledgling idea, Barlow Sr. and Virginia Brooks made personal sacrifices to turn their dreams into a reality.

To fund the new company, the couple had to take a second mortgage on their home and family car.

Barlow Brooks Sr, or Pappy, as RFC employees called him, frequently worked 12 hours or more a day ensuring the young company’s success.

Sons Bill and Barlow Jr. continued the growth and success of RFC over the years until they decided to entrust its future and prosperity to the Austrian steel and technology group – voestalpine AG – in 2000.

RFC announced the Brooks Hall expansion at its 75 Year Anniversary Event back in 2022 as a surprise to everyone in attendance, including the Brooks Family.