SUCCESS STORIES
Successful Growth & Expansion Projects:
Envision Greater Fond du Lac has established the stability, growth and sustainability of the County’s existing businesses as a priority. Over the history of the organization, it has assisted a multitude of companies in growth and expansion operations. Following are examples of some of those projects.
ACH Foam
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
Project Overview: Recognizing a growing demand for their products, the owners of ACH Foam Technologies made a strategic decision to expand operations in the City of Fond du Lac. The company purchased a 40,000 square foot building to house inventory levels to meet demand of a local customer of their product. This project brought 15 to 20 FTE positions to Fond du Lac.
Alliance Laundry Systems
City of Ripon
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Fond du Lac County and City of Ripon
Projects Overview: We, along with local and state government, led the effort to assist Alliance Laundry Systems on three recent projects in 2012, 2014, and 2016. These projects have brought together elements of the City of Ripon, Fond du Lac County and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to provide technical assistance and financial incentives that have allowed the company to grow its Ripon manufacturing footprint and employment base to over 2,000. These projects were assisted by incentives from Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, the City of Ripon and WEDC. A true collaborative effort to grow Fond du Lac County.
Integrity Saw & Tool
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
Project Overview: In 2010, Paul Reetz, the company’s Regional Sales Manager, purchased the company from the previous owners. Prior to Mr. Reetz coming forward, the company had an offer to purchase from an Illinois firm that would have resulted in the relocation of the business. It was the desire of Mr. Reetz to maintain the company in the City of Fond du Lac. With our assistance, Mr. Reetz was successful in purchasing the business and retaining 20 full-time jobs and creating a number of additional jobs in Fond du Lac County. With the assistance of our Special Allocation Funds, a total investment package of $2.9 million was crafted to keep a key manufacturer in Fond du Lac County.
Wells Vehicle Electronics
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
Project Overview: Wells Vehicle Electronics, a global manufacturer of vehicle electronics solutions, broke ground in 2012 on its new corporate headquarters and electronics plant expansion project in Fond du Lac. The expansion project allowed the company to transition from a 100-plus year-old facility of three buildings where employees worked into a modern, spacious facility that was able to easily house all of its administrative, engineering, testing, and manufacturing needs. In addition to retaining 214 jobs, the expansion allowed Wells to grow by more than 30 percent over the next three years.
Mercury Marine
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, City of Fond du Lac
Project Overview: In 2009, Mercury Marine made the strategic decision to consolidate two production facilities to one location, consequently closing the other in Oklahoma. We coordinated and worked with elements of state and local government to craft an incentive package to ensure Fond du Lac would be the location chosen by Mercury Marine as the facility to not only remain open but significantly increase the job footprint in Fond du Lac. Its employment doubled to nearly 3,000 and the company has invested $500 billion in its Fond du Lac campus. This successful effort was the result of unprecedented collaboration between all stakeholders to capitalize on a tremendous opportunity for a global company to not only remain in Fond du Lac, but to grow and prosper.
Marchant Schmidt, Inc.
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, City of Fond du Lac
Project Overview: Marchant Schmidt, Inc. had an average annual sales growth of at least 15% and increased their export market significantly — growing their international sales from less than 5 percent to over 27 percent in just a few years with a goal of 50 percent by 2010. These successes, however, also produced a series of challenges. They were out of space and their operational efficiencies were beginning to suffer. When Marchant Schmidt contacted us, we pulled together service partners to brainstorm solutions. The group helped assure that the expansion, and the subsequent increased staffing levels and training, would be carried out in a seamless process. In 2009, Marchant Schmidt underwent a 21,000 square foot expansion of their production space and 4,000 square feet of office space at a project cost of $1.9 million. The expansion was assisted by a Fond du Lac County Revolving Loan as well as a City of Fond du Lac Revolving Loan and an Industrial Revenue Bond. Marchant Schmidt plans to hire 50 employees over the next three to five years.
McNeilus Steel
City of Fond du Lac
Partners: Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
Project Overview: McNeilus Steel expanded their operations in 2013 that added a 96,000 square foot coil processing facility. The $15 million expansion allowed the company to add an additional 50 jobs to the company’s employment base and was a great indication that manufacturing was, and continues, to do well in Wisconsin.