Who is PowerSafe Automation?

I am happy to share our journey!

"Powering a safer working environment" thru innovative turnkey solutions

Summer of 2015,

Shawn Mantel, a Sales Engineer, and a previously partnered Electrical Contractor, were at a crossroads in their careers and both were looking for something more for their family and friends.
Conversations began about each other’s respective backgrounds at a seasonal campground drinking Fireball Whisky around a campfire.
They quickly realized they could join forces to offer the market something unique and decided they could exploit a void in the market with their skills and abilities.
This combined skill set could give workers a better chance to go home safe at night to be with their families, just as they did.

Prior to the inception of PowerSafe Automation:

Shawn Mantel was part of two startup companies in the t-slotted aluminum extrusion and safety guarding market for 25 years being an integral part in growing them into two of the most well-known companies in their respective market.
The other partner owned an electrical & mechanical contracting business for over 15 years and was part of a family business prior to that in Northeast Indiana.

With a gap in machine safety systems between mechanical processes and machines, expanding regulations and standards, and the new generation of computer controls and robots there was a need for a company to provide skilled trade services of installation and electronic safety device integration and support. That casual conversation quickly became reality and PowerSafe Automation was founded.

January 2016,

Created a niche category in the market providing machine safety guarding, electrical, & industrial automation solutions focused on custom design, fabrication, and nationwide installation.
Opened opportunities to help customers reduce their pain points, lower hazardous exposures, and improve workplace safety attitudes.
Efforts quickly paid off as they were continually adding new customers, which included Fortune 500 companies with multi-line/multi-plant projects.

Fall of 2016,

Purchased a 14,000 sq ft facility with the offices and the shop in one location due to customer demand
Starting out with one employee using their homes as offices and shops they now have 4 full-time employees and 3 part-time employees, as well as the start of a fleet of field installation vehicles and trailers.
Expanded online digital presence
Developed a full administrative infrastructure to prepare for future expansion to help better serve our customers and provide leadership and direction to our employees.
Became a member of ISNetworld or ISN 400-243872, a highly respected third-party compliance partner with copies of our liability insurance coverages, OSHA logs, and safety programs.

In 2017,

Hired a Site Supervisor to expand installation capabilities of machine guarding across the United States
Renovated the offices to prepare for future expansions of front end support to our clients and partners
Renovated and sub-divided the shop for future expansion and temperature control
Expanded digital presence online via industry-specific medium

In 2018,

Bought metal fabricating machines for in-house machining and custom work
Joined 2 top safety organizations, ASSP and NSC, to stay in the know and to provide knowledge for their partners in return
Became a US partner for the ReeR brand electronic safety devices looking to expand their US presence
Interviewed and published first article in the Assembly Magazine
Partnered with Amazon for eCommerce DIY product sales
Partners with Independent Sales Reps in strategic areas to help expand local support to our customers

In 2019,

Made an investment to double the fleet and hired another Site Supervisor due to increased customer demands for turnkey safety solutions
Added a bullpen and security system for fleet storage
Wrote and published 3 more magazine articles
Presented with 2 awards for industrial safety solutions provider and general business

In 2020 (a critical time to pivot and be agile),

During the COVID-19 pandemic, PowerSafe was considered essential due to compliance-driven safety regulations and continued to work with manufacturers.
Created defined office areas for improved front-end support and a demonstration area for customer as well as social distancing
Created internal training programs and remote work programs
Expanded digital presence
Installed an industrial fan for shop temperature control as well as a demo for customers
Published another magazine article to their respective market and self-published others online
Revamped fleet program to prepare for future expansion
Hired a Controls Technician and a Technical Solutions Rep
Refined processes and increased infrastructure to better serve and educate customers and employees.
PowerSafe seamlessly pivoted into workplace safeguarding to include protective shields, modular office cubicles, line worker barriers, and ergonomic safety solutions.
The most notable part of the COVID-19 timeframe was PowerSafe developed an AWARD-WINNING, patent pending, hands-free sanitizer dispenser to help maintain a sanitary work environment per new pandemic protection protocols.
- This dispenser has been determined to be a Winner of the Year by Plant Engineering!
Expanded In-Plant Solution capabilities by partnering with A-Safe, Panel Built, and Seek Thermal
Presented with 3 awards for safety solutions and our hands-free dispensing system

In 2021 (continuing to be essential to worker's safety),

Shawn Mantel purchased Lance LaLone's interest in the company becoming the 100% owner
Shawn's wife Tracy entered the operations of the company expanding infrastructure support
Reached a 5-year milestone of a turnkey machine safety guarding company
Added a second crew and fleet infrastructure for expanded capabilities
Added a third crew and fleet infrastructure for expanded capabilities
Expanded local fleet vehicles for pickups and deliveries with a box truck and Chevy Silverado
Published an article on "Overcoming the Challenges of Electronic Machine Safety"
Added an inventory control system in response to supplier delays due to a reaction to COVID mfg constraints
Improved efficiencies and quality with new shop layout
New engineering processes for designing machine guarding
Increased controls and automation support capabilities
Purchased a CNC router for expanded panel capabilities

In 2022,

Increased our capacities by adding team members:
- Office Manager
- Field Installer
- Shop Technician
Started turning chips with the CNC router
Increased metal fabrication support capabilities

With no end in sight, they continue to focus on new ways to expand the business and their outreach, grow relationships with their customers which include Fortune 500 companies. Most importantly, they continue to save people’s lives by improving their workplace safety while reducing pain points.

Would you connect with us on LinkedIn for more information (safety resource):

Shawn Mantel, CEO / Sales Engineer

Who is PowerSafe Automation?

A Turnkey Machine Safety Guarding & Workplace Solutions Provider

PowerSafe Automation has created a niche in the market as a turnkey solutions provider focused on custom design, fabrication, and installation for machine safety, electrical, and industrial automation applications. The company was founded in 2016 by elevating commodity products with premium value, through consistent brand recognition and support to the marketplace.

We provide exceptional project execution and consistency to our customers in a compliance-driven industry due to skilled trades and our development and training of a complete infrastructure of policies, procedures, and reporting structure for all facets of our business.
We routinely audit our files to ensure accuracy in a dynamic business platform and to ensure any gaps are identified and remedied.
We have validated our experience through memberships with ISNetworld (hiring client to contractor compliance group), NSC (National Safety Council), ASSP (American Society of Safety Professionals), the BBB (Better Business Bureau), as well as with published articles and award recipients for safety and business.
This allowed us to expand our outreach in networking, provide additional safety training to our employees, and create, upload, & maintain substantial safety programs along with our liability coverage to a trusted platform for clients to review.

PowerSafe Automation’s mission is to solve problems by reducing customer pain points of time constraints, lack of skilled trade, exposure to machine hazards, and liability concerns with improved workplace safety.

We employ industrial engineers who meet with key personnel, such as Safety, Maintenance, and Operations to create synergy in developing the safest solution possible.
This allows us to create a proper machine safety system while still providing the necessary access to the machine for production and maintenance, which is presented to the customer with a fully detailed CAD design.

These systems can range from basic machine guarding to fully integrated machine safety systems. Turnkey designs are achieved through a combination of bolt-on physical guarding, such as T-Slotted Aluminum Extrusion framing with wire mesh and/or polycarbonate plastic panels, machine tool safety guards, and power transmission covers.

These systems are then fully integrated with electronic safety devices, such as safety light curtains, safety switches, safety mats & bumpers, and safety laser scanners along with the necessary safety control circuitry required to integrate into the customer’s machines.
We also provide turnkey solutions requiring additional integration, such as sound blocking materials, automated door assists, integrated timer circuitry, production monitoring systems, and intrinsic safety systems, which are application specific.
Our experienced mechanical and controls technicians build as much of the project off-site including the safety circuits in efforts to reduce production down-time for the client.
Once on-site, the proper training is executed, a jobsite analysis is reviewed, the crew gears up with the proper PPE, and the required lockout-tagout (LOTO) procedures are followed.
The field technicians then install the physical safety guarding commonly consisting of drilling and tapping customer machines and/or drilling the concrete floors, as well as required custom fastening solutions that are application specific.
A “field-fit” service is provided to make sure the physical guarding provides the proper protection required.
The electronic safety devices are then mounted and integrated by our controls technicians into the client’s required e-stop circuit through our own designed PowerControls machine-to-safety device integrator.
This is followed by the device and circuit validation for reliability and proper functionality, which includes the proper safety relays or safety controllers and power supplies.
The electronic safety devices in conjunction with our PowerControls enclosure allows the ability to achieve the highest safety category level required for each specific machine guarding application.

One success story we are proud to promote is our speed monitoring system. After attempts with other suppliers, a client contacted us with a problem looking for a unique solution. Their current situation had an old lathe with a simple barrier guard and a non-locking safety switch on the door. This machine took 15 seconds to ramp down allowing the operator to be exposed to the hazards once the non-locking door was opened. We designed a speed monitoring system using an encoder, a proximity sensor, and a locking solenoid switch controlled by our PowerControls. This kept the door locked until the speed monitoring system sensed the lathe was at zero rotation eliminating the hazard presence to the operator. We were just published as an authority for this application in the June 2018 issue of Assembly Magazine.

PowerSafe Automation helps improve the safety attitudes of employees in the workplace, which allows us to have a high customer retention rate by providing the client with an exceptional value for their money focusing on quality, reliability, and service.

We provide consistency throughout the entire custom design thru installation process ranging from a single facility to Fortune 500 companies with multiple locations nationwide.
We believe communication is a key factor in building long term customer relations.
We hold internal pre-jobsite meetings to properly prepare for the project, as well as hold post jobsite meetings to discuss the successes and challenges of each project.
This allows us to build a safer work environment for our clients by providing continual improvement to the marketplace while lowering the statistic of OSHA machine guarding methods standard 1910.212 being the 9th most-cited OSHA violation.

Learn about us and our community

Our Core Values at PowerSafe Automation

I am happy to share our journey!

"Powering a safer working environment" thru innovative turnkey solutions

We appreciate our 3-Year Progression!

Humbled by our 5-Year Milestone!

We Value the Relationships in Our Community