Yanmar breaks ground on Minnesota expansion

Yanmar Compact Equipment North America, the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, business unit of Japan-based Yanmar Co. Ltd., has broken ground on a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its facility in Grand Rapids.

The expansion will increase the company's manufacturing capacity and allow Yanmar compact track loaders to be manufactured alongside its ASV brand compact track loaders.

Yanmar, which announced the expansion project this January, kicked off the project during a June 2 groundbreaking event.

“We’ve talked a lot about expansion plans over the past year to our customers, dealers and those we visited with at ConExpo, so it is thrilling to break ground and see those plans come to fruition,” says Tate Johnson, president of Yanmar CE North America.

“This project is ultimately about better serving our customers, both through expanded manufacturing capabilities and increased staffing to make sure their needs are met."

The new section of the plant will house a paint system designed to increase paint capacity by up to three times and also will allow parts manufacturing capacity to double.

Among those attending the groundbreaking were Johnson, Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority President Sholom Blake, Itasca (Minnesota) County Commissioner John Johnson, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Deputy Commissioner Al Becicka, and Honorary Consul of Japan Ron Leonhardt.

The Minnesota Trade Office selected Yanmar CE North America as a recipient of the 2022 Governor’s International Trade Award in the Large Company category as a result of the expansion project.

Yanmar says it expects the project to be complete in the spring of 2024.