Terex Corporation announced a big investment in the small city of Canton, S.D. In the city where Terex Bid-Well started 50 years ago, the governor of South Dakota, the mayor of Canton and representatives from Terex Corporation and the Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation broke ground on a new 80,000 sq. ft. facility for the manufacture of bridge, highway and airport pavers and related equipment. The new eight-acre site is just miles from the company’s current multi-facility downtown campus, and the new building will house all operations under one roof.
“We have a dedicated team with a 50-year knowledge-base for building a niche product that requires customization to meet customer needs,” said George Ellis, president of Terex Construction. “It made sense to invest in the Canton community and retain the skilled workforce that will allow the transfer of knowledge well into the future.”
The new $4.8 million Terex Bid-Well facility promises to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce lead time for the paving equipment.
“Using lean manufacturing principles, material will enter through one end of the building, flow through fabrication and assembly and leave through the opposite end,” explained Rob Drew, site director of Terex Bid-Well. “Strong growth and high customer demand for our equipment has forced us to grow into a campus of nine separate buildings over the years. Consolidating into one facility will allow us to maximize productivity of our talented team and reduce order-to-finished-goods time to about five working days.”
At a press conference held directly after the ground breaking ceremony, officials addressed the local media and business owners.
“Terex Bid-Well has been a vital part of the economy of Canton and the state of South Dakota for a half century, and we are proud this international company has chosen to continue its growth in our state,” said Dennis Daugaard, governor of South Dakota. Added Canton Mayor Jonathan Toso, “Our community is excited to participate in this important development by one of our cornerstone industries. Canton and Terex Bid-Well have grown together over the years, and Terex Bid-Well has always been one of our best corporate citizens.”
Ercell Fortney, president, and Kevin Mielke, vice president, of the building contractor Empire Building Construction, Sioux Falls, S.D., confirmed that construction was scheduled for the week of April 18, 2011. While not a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building, many sustainable construction practices have been incorporated into the building’s design.
“We always construct our buildings as tight as possible, as we feel this is our obligation to the customer,” said Fortney.
Approximately 95 percent of the building’s metal frame includes recycled steel. With windows for sunlight harvesting, walls built with a minimum of R-30 insulation and insulated floors, the building is designed to efficiently capture heat in a climate that sees winter temperatures drop to negative 30F. The building’s exterior will feature “cool” colors adopted by LEED construction guidelines.
Inside the manufacturing space, the factory will include high-efficiency lighting and a separate welding area with exhaust fans to keep the rest of the space clean. Nearly 30 cranes strategically positioned throughout the factory will greatly improve material flow, according to the manufacturer.
The new facility will be located in Canton’s industrial park.
“Terex Bid-Well is one of the main catalysts for industrial park growth in Canton,” said Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation President Jon Frick. “We are glad they are expanding in the city where it all began — and that they are so active in helping us grow the community.”
For more information, visit www.terex.com.
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