Yanmar Compact Equipment North America (Yanmar CE North America), encompassing the Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV brands, breaks ground on a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its Grand Rapids, Minnesota facility. The expansion will greatly increase manufacturing capacity and allow for Yanmar compact track loaders to be manufactured alongside ASV compact track loaders.
Yanmar CE North America kicked off the project during an event on June 2 celebrating the Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV brand histories and the company’s employees. More than 500 people attended.
“We’ve talked a lot about expansion plans over the past year to our customers, dealers and those we visited with at CONEXPO, so it is thrilling to break ground and see those plans come to fruition,” said Tate Johnson, president of Yanmar CE North America. “This project is ultimately about better serving our customers, both through expanded manufacturing capabilities and increased staffing to make sure their needs are met.”
The expansion will allow for the manufacturing of Yanmar’s recently announced compact track loaders while continuing to manufacture ASV compact track loaders at the same facility. Additionally, company executives project the addition of hundreds of jobs over the next five years.
The new section will house a paint system that will increase paint capacity by up to three times. It will also boost parts manufacturing capacity by up to two times in the previously occupied space. The new powder paint system will be more efficient and have less environmental impact.
Several officials spoke at the groundbreaking, including Yanmar CE North America President Tate Johnson, Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority President Sholom Blake, Itasca County Commissioner John Johnson, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Deputy Commissioner Al Becicka, and Honorary Consul of Japan — Ron Leonhardt.
The Minnesota Trade Office selected Yanmar CE North America as a recipient of the 2022 Governor’s International Trade Award in the Large Company category as a result of the expansion project.
The company expects project completion in Spring 2024.