W.S. Darley Co. in Chippewa Falls: Making life-saving gear

The fluorescent lights throw glints off of the metal and bronze components as the smell of paint lingers in the air. Staff, machines and robots move with precision among rows of tools and parts that decorate the space.

“Watch your step,” Carmon Bonn, Sr. Human Resources & Safety Director says as she adjusts her safety glasses. “Safety first.”

Bonn took The Chippewa Herald on a tour of the W.S. Darley and Co. facility in Chippewa Falls on Thursday alongside Plant Manager Mike Severson, and Sr. Manufacturing & Systems Engineering Manager Amanda Normand.

“We really have some impressive machines here,” Normand said. “But I might be a little biased.”

The facility specializes in manufacturing fire pumps, with a team of skilled machinists and engineers. The company originated in Chippewa Falls and has since grown into an international supplier for first responders, U.S. military forces and allied nations with a multitude of pumps, systems and vehicles.

Different environments demand different materials and equipment.

The company, which is now headquartered in Illinois, manufactures portable gasoline powered pumps, diesel, engine and hydraulic driven pumps, various mounted pumps, marine pumps and Ohler pumps, to name a few.

The manufacturer also makes the valves, impellers, seals and all the other components necessary for the equipment to operate appropriately.

Darley’s Chippewa Falls facility recently conducted a pump school with the Bureau of Land Management and is preparing for another this week.

“The goal of our team here in Chippewa Falls is to save lives and we take it seriously,” said Vice President of Pump Manufacturing Operations Greg Field.

While Darley’s competitors are reputable, Darley stands out due to its founder’s drive to understand customer needs, Field said.

The company supports small truck builders and offers price breaks to help them get started.

Its focus is on making a difference rather than just making money, which resonates with customers and the community. Darley’s commitment to social responsibility is a key component of its business philosophy.

Field shared an example of a critical situation in which the company worked around the clock to produce and ship a necessary pump in just days for a firefighting outfit.

“We had a forest fire a couple years ago out West, and there was a team up in the mountains, and they’d been running their pumps non-stop, and they finally kind of wore out,” Field said. “We got a call from the fire chief on top of the mountain with his satellite phone, and he’s like, ‘I need another pump.’”

The call came in on a Friday afternoon but the team stuck around and manufactured the needed components before testing it and shipping it out Sunday night.

“Then it gets to the airport destination, and then the helicopter picks it up and takes it up the mountains and drops it off,” Field said. “That’s what we do. That’s what we live for. That’s what we’re built for.”

He emphasized the importance of being nimble and responsive to customer needs, especially in life-saving situations.

Field said that being part of such a large and reputable company comes in handy especially during disaster outreach when Darley officials can make things happen collaboratively that average citizens might struggle to accomplish.

Field said the environment is never that far from the unexpected or the unthinkable, as was the case last week when Hurricane Helene hit the southeast part of the country.

A first responder friend called Field from Charlotte, North Carolina telling him what they needed for supplies. Field worked with employees to find water to send despite the fact that their normal stock of water for emergencies was depleted.

They still wound up donating 240,000 bottles of water to a fire department during the hurricane aftermath.

As the trends clearly point to sharp increases in natural disasters, Darley is sharpening its focus on products to help first responders with relief and mitigation.

Darley pumps are primarily designed for rugged firefighting applications. Its pumps are the standard for demanding fire departments like the U.S. Forest Service and CalFire.

The Chippewa Falls facility manufactures about 3,000 pumps a year and 650,000 parts per year, catering to a wide range of applications, Field said.

Darley’s small pumps are good for wildland firefighting whereas its large pumps may be used for petrochemical fires. Darley midship pumps protect small communities and many of the largest cities in the U.S. and around the world. Other pumps are used in a variety of scenarios including military and warfare.

The company has served U.S. military personnel since before World War II.

The P-100 diesel powered portable pump is demanded by the U.S. Navy for firefighting and damage control. The P-100 was used to help sailors during the attack on the USS Cole on Oct. 12, 2000.

Darley pumps were used at the scene, Field said.

The U.S. Coast Guard relies on the P-1 and P-6 portable pumps, which help save the lives of those on distressed vessels.

The Darley LE600 and Ohler 125/150 pumps support the transfer of fuel to U.S. warfighters across the globe.

Darley is a billion-dollar company with significant defense contracts.

Darley workers are known for manufacturing precision components for its gear. That includes items like the vacuum cast impeller. It is one crucial product being manufactured in Chippewa Falls.

“That is the heart of our product. If this is off, everything’s off,” Normand said. “This engineering quality is what allows us to basically have the volume that we have, but also keep the weight that we want to have and the size balanced.”

She said on a fire truck system, first responders need quick access to emergency equipment outside of the pump, which means Darley’s gear needs to have a smaller footprint.

“That’s one thing we do really well. We apply our skills to a multitude of situations to make sure people have what they need on the ground,” she said.

W.S. Darley and Co. has a rich history in manufacturing fire pumps, fire apparatus and equipment.

The Illinois-based company, with its Chippewa Falls plant at 1051 Palmer St., builds fire trucks, manufactures fire pumps and sells firefighting equipment.

Chippewa Falls oversees the company’s pump division while Darley’s corporate headquarters is located in Itasca, Illinois. Its Ohler pump and Odin foam components are handled at its facility in Janesville, Iowa.

Darley began manufacturing pumps in 1932 when William S. Darley first established his pump manufacturing plant in Chippewa Falls. The company opened its plant on Walnut Street in 1934. It opened its current Palmer Street location in 2003.

The Chippewa Falls facility today employs 130 people at its 108,000-square-foot plant. One-hundred of those are employed in the on-site manufacturing shop and another 30 work in the office.

“We’re growing about 7% year over year. And here in Chippewa Falls with the pump division we’re looking to expand,” Field said. “We’re looking to expand our defense footprint, and do more of the manufacturing of those components here in Chippewa Falls. We hope to increase our business by up to 10% in the next year or two.”

Darley offers more than 300 pump models, which can be applied to nearly any application. Its pumps are entirely manufactured in the U.S. and Darley has remained family owned and operated since 1908.

W.S. Darley and Co. also has a global reach.

The ceiling above the manufacturing floor is lined with international flags from numerous countries around the world showcasing the vast footprint of Darley.

The company has worked for more than a century to provide lifesaving equipment to Americans and their allies. Darley has also exported its products for about 90 years to more than 125 countries.

In addition to having a presence in all 50 states, it has over 50 international dealers in 40 countries.