When it comes to manufacturing the equipment that builds, powers, and feeds the world, the Lone Star State is No. 1.
And during Week 2 of the AEM Manufacturing Express’s month-long tour of Texas, association staff, media partners, and industry peers got an up-close-and-personal look at how four Dallas-Fort Worth-area AEM member companies are doing their part to support nearly 350,000 jobs in the state and add almost $50 billion to the state’s economy.
“The 2.3 million men and women of the equipment manufacturing industry are essential to our quality of life, our national security, and to the long-term prosperity of small-town communities,” said AEM Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg in a recent interview with RFD-TV about the tour. “That’s what (the AEM Manufacturing Express) is all about. It’s to shine a light on them, the unsung heroes, who are making our way of life possible.”
Check out Kip Eideberg’s full interview with RFD-TV’s Tammi Arender below:
After a successful first week-plus run, the AEM Manufacturing Express kicked off Week 2 of its summer tour last week Monday in Longview, Texas, at Komatsu America Corporation’s largest facility in North America. The morning event featured remarks from Komatsu North America CEO Rod Bull and Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara, as well as tours of the massive Longview facility.
“The City of Longview wants to be your partner,” Ishihara said. “We are so grateful for the partners that you, the employees, are, but also Komatsu as an employer to the city. When I drive up to the plant here, I am so grateful for the investments and the capital improvements. You guys are an entryway into Longview, and now that entryway is magnificent because of the investment you’ve made.”
Approximately 700 workers are currently employed at Komatsu’s Longview facility, one which was founded 80 years ago by Texas icon R.G. LeTourneau. Today, the Komatsu plant manufactures the WE2350, the largest front-end loader in the world, and its employees go about their work while always being mindful of the “Komatsu Way”: Don’t do it because you were told to do it, but because it is the right way to do it.
Following the Komatsu event in Longview, the AEM Manufacturing Express headed west and (a little bit) south to visit Watson Drill Rigs in Fort Worth on Tuesday. A fourth-generation manufacturer of rigs designed for drilled shaft construction, Watson Drill Rigs welcomed AEM staff for a low-key afternoon visit, along with barbecue lunch, beer, and a bags tournament.
On Wednesday of last week, the AEM Manufacturing Express headed further south to nearby Waco for a stop at Versalift. Rain and thunderstorms didn’t dampen what ended up being a massive visit, one which commemorated the company’s 60th anniversary, its longstanding status as a global leader in aerial vehicle manufacturing, as well as its roots as a pioneer and inventor of the original aerial lift.
According to a post on manufacturingexpress.org, Versalift equipment plays a crucial role in helping maintain critical infrastructure like electricity and telecommunications, and the company partners with telecommunications companies, municipal governments, and others to keep towns and cities both up and running.
“The machines we produce allow companies to run electricity and run broadband to places that don’t have broadband access,” said Versalift Chief Marketing Officer Alex Hultgren. “When there’s an emergency or some kind of a disaster, these trucks can come in and help clear things out and get things up and running again. Even as things change, with solar power and windmills, you need something that’s really tall to get up there and work on those things sometimes. It’s really about empowering those key parts of society that keep things running that aren’t always visible. We’re the ones that really empower them to do their jobs.”
Finally, the AEM Manufacturing Express closed out its second full week in Texas with a second straight stop in Waco, this time at Diversified Product Development. Roughly 50 employees joined AEM staff for an early-morning event that recognized the company’s impressive legacy of providing engineering, design, simulation, consulting, prototyping and production for many different industries.
See some photos from the Diversified Product Development stop below:
With the Texas tour at roughly its half-way point, the AEM Manufacturing Express is setting its sights on the greater Houston area. This week brings stops at Texas Hydraulics, Manitex, Caterpillar Engines, Alamo Group, and LiuGong.
Stay in the Know!
AEM’s award-winning public engagement initiative has returned this summer to visit 22 facilities across the state of Texas throughout the month of August. Stay in the know on all things AEM Manufacturing Express by visiting manufacturingexpress.org.
