Company transferring operations to Sweepster Attachments
April 7, 2007
An Iowa-based construction equipment company plans to close power rake plants in Minnesota and North Dakota this summer and move the work to its Sweepster Attachments plant in Scio Township, bringing 20 to 25 jobs with it.
Paladin Brands Holdings Inc. makes attachments and tools used in heavy and light mobile and construction equipment under 13 brand names. It plans to move its Harley Rake operations here this summer.
Paladin's Sweepster plant employs about 200 on Zeeb Road a couple of miles north of I-94.
"It's really a consolidation,'' said Paladin President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Van Sant. "We are increasing and improving our capacity utilization.''
Van Sant said there is plenty of space at Sweepster's site now to add Harley Rake. Some of the 40 North Dakota and 25 Minnesota employees have been offered job transfers to Dexter, but Van Sant said it's still likely the company will need to hire new employees. Other displaced workers are being offered transfers to other Paladin sites or severance packages.
Five people in North Dakota will stay there to maintain sales and customer support operations for Harley Rake.
Van Sant said the transition will take place between July and September, with Harley Rake expected to be fully operational in Dexter by Sept. 1.
The North Dakota facility will produce more inventory from now through its closing at the end of June to cover sales until the Michigan plant starts production in September, the company said.
Paladin, which was acquired by New York-based Dover Corp. last year, said it employs about 1,500 people in 19 manufacturing locations in the United States and Mexico.
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