Now nearly five weeks into its cross-country tour, the AEM Manufacturing Express is showing no signs of slowing down.
AEM’s public engagement initiative kicked off July 1 in Iowa before hitting the road to visit AEM member companies at their respective facilities and celebrate the impressive impact equipment manufacturing has on society today. The AEM Manufacturing Express arrived in Nebraska late last week for a stop at concrete batch plant manufacturer and AEM member company ASTEC CON-E-CO before making its way to Ohama for a trio of visits at association members Elliott Equipment Company, Graepel North America, and CLAAS of America. The tour promptly turned south for an event at HydraBed on Wednesday in Sabetha, Kansas, and the AEM Manufacturing Express will conclude its run through the Sunflower State with stops at Custom Truck One Source and Great Plains Manufacturing.
The AEM Manufacturing Express will cover 20 states and make stops at more than 80 equipment manufacturing communities in the Midwest, South, Mid-Atlantic, and states around the Great Lakes throughout all of August and September, before concluding in October. Along the way, AEM will tell the story of equipment manufacturing, as well as highlight the challenges and opportunities facing AEM member companies and their industry peers today. Stay up to date on all things AEM Manufacturing Express by visiting www.manufacturingexpress.org.
A staple of Blair, Nebraska, ASTEC CON-E-CO brought 180 local men and women together last Friday for a celebration of the company’s longstanding history of producing concrete batch plants. Founded in 1957 as the Concrete Equipment Company, ASTEC CON-E-CO’s success is a testament to the company’s desire to always keep improving. Today, the Blair facility produces as many as 60 individual plants each year (and it can build one in as little as 10 days). “We’re always improving," said Blair native and ASTEC CON-E-CO senior sales manager Craig Olson. “Improving our processes, improving our distribution, everything.” Check out some of the notable highlights from the visit to ASTEC CON-E-CO in the gallery below:
To open Week 5 of the tour, the AEM Manufacturing Express dropped by Graepel North America and Elliott Equipment Company to celebrate both company’s Midwestern manufacturing excellence. Perhaps best known for introducing the first truck-mounted telescoping aerial work platform and crane and its storied legacy that spans over seven decades, Elliott now manufactures 40 models of truck-mounted aerial work platforms and cranes, serving various industries from construction and mining to public utilities and natural resources. “No employee here is just a number. Every employee has the chance, and the opportunity, to succeed and build not just a career but a life at Elliott. And we want to give as many people as possible the ability to do it,” said Elliott CEO and President Jim Glazer.
Meanwhile, at Graepel, the company’s commitment to tackling the skills gap and building a pipeline of new workers is reflected in its efforts to launch of Nebraska’s first-ever joint apprenticeship program with the German Chamber of Commerce and Metropolitan Community College. According to Graepel CEO Mark Zumdohme, the company’s motto of “Creating safety” has been a key driver of success and positioned the company for sustained growth in the long term. “We create safety for customers, but we also ensure the safety of all employees by embracing modern technologies and creating a stable environment for them,” Zumdohme said.
Tuesday also saw the AEM Manufacturing Express travel to CLAAS of America, where more than 130 company employees, associates, and guests joined U.S. Rep Mike Flood and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. The focus of the stop centered on the dedication of CLAAS’s employees and the company’s significant contributions to Nebraska manufacturing and the U.S. economy. “The color green has everything to do with Nebraska, and today Nebraska celebrates the men and women at CLAAS who have a lasting impact on our state and our community,” said Rep. Flood. Check out some of the notable highlights from the visit to CLAAS of America in the gallery below:
Next week starts in Kansas with stops at CNH Industrial and Harper Industries. Then it’s off to Oklahoma for four AEM Manufacturing Express visits at Ditch Witch, Vacuworx Global, McElroy Manufacturing, and TWG-Dover. For more information and to follow along with the AEM Manufacturing Express, visit www.manufacturingexpress.org.
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