Scherdel Sales & Technology Celebrates 25 years in Muskegon with Unveiling of New Sculpture by Local Artist
Muskegon, MI – Since 1999 Scherdel Sales & Technology, Inc. has been nestled in the woods of Muskegon Charter Township. Scherdel is a top worldwide supplier to the automotive industry, specializing in highly technical springs and stampings. Scherdel maintains a large portfolio of OEM and Tier I customers, shipping millions of springs and stampings around the globe annually.
Scherdel Sales & Technology, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Michigan in 1997 and began manufacturing operations in 1999 with three employees, and has now grown to 165 employees, holding valued positions in sales, engineering, finance, human resources, purchasing, and quality. Their talented production staff is the core of the organization, representing high levels of skill and technical expertise to keep their company at the forefront of their industry.
In 2018, the construction of a new office space was placed in front of the production facility. To celebrate 25 years of business achievements, Scherdel wanted an artistic statement, that would symbolize the strength and development of their organization and the dynamic teamwork of their employees. Many of these employees have stayed the course with the company, through tough periods of a recession and a pandemic.
To honor their employees and the community in which they work, Scherdel secured local artist, Sherri Balaskovitz, to create a stainless-steel tree sculpture. The sculpture is called, “The Spring Tree” and represents not only the growth of the organization but it is also a symbol of the very product that Scherdel produces.
Sherri has a history of creating public art for the greater Muskegon area. She was part of the Capture Muskegon-Historical Mural Project committee and was commissioned to create a mural in downtown Muskegon that tells the story of the springs manufacturing industry in Muskegon County called, “Muskegon Spring Ahead.” Sherri also participated in the Lakeshore Art Festival Public Sculpture Project where she created an 11-foot fish out of recycled materials called, “The Prize Steelhead.” The fish sculpture can be found today near the Muskegon Channel at Pere Marquette’s, Margaret Drake Elliott Park.
“The Spring Tree” sculpture took five months to build. Sherri commented, “It was exciting to walk around the factory and look at all the different spring parts that are made at Scherdel. I was able to find five Scherdel parts that would be used to create the tree’s six components. As soon as I saw each selected spring for the first time, I knew how they would represent their specific tree part. It was a huge project that had to be strategic in spring placements as the transportation of the sculpture needed to be delivered in four sections, because of the overall size of 15’h x 9’w x 9’L.”
Scherdel will be hosting an official unveiling of the sculpture along with a 25th Anniversary celebration for their employees and their families, long-term business partners and local elected officials on Friday, August 12, 2022.