The group of shovelers at the groundbreaking ceremony at Winnebago Manufacturing last week included a variety of people. They included, left to right, David from AB Systems, Dan Ristau of Blue Earth City Council, Amy Schaefer from CEDA, Matt Pomranke, Daryle Pomranke and Travis of Winnebago Manufacturing, Brett and Jim from Electric Service Company, Corey Milbrandt from First Bank Blue Earth, Shannon from G&S Drainage and Tommy from AB Systems.

Winnebago Manufacturing Company held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, April 28 for their new major expansion of their production facility in Blue Earth.

The planned new 37,000 square foot building will be attached to their existing 60,000 square foot building, Winnebago Manufacturing Company president Daryle Pomranke told those attending the groundbreaking ceremony.

There were representatives of the Blue Earth city government, the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce, the contractors of the construction company and several local businesses.

The addition will increase output and strengthen the company’s fabrication and welding operations, Pomranke said.

The additional space will support expanded welding capacity and introduce new fabricating processes designed to support the growing customer demand.

“We had been talking about this for some time,” Pomranke said. “It was mainly due to our customer’s demands for product, especially two of our larger customers.”

Winnebago Manufacturing fabricates items that other companies use to build larger items.

“The new addition will have a combination of both old and new equipment,” Winnebago Manufacturing general manager Matt Pomranke says. “For instance, we have four plate rollers but currently we can only use two at a time. After the new building is completed we can run all four at a time.”

The building expansion will cost over $5 million and the company plans to purchase around $15,000 in new equipment.

The workforce will also be increased. Currently the company employs 44 workers with 41 of them being full-time. Daryle Pomranke says they will add another six employees for sure and possibly as many as 10.

AB Systems, based in Rochester, is serving as the general contractor with support from G&S Drainage and Electric Service Company. First Bank of Blue Earth is providing financing for the project.

“This expansion represents an important step forward for our company,” said Daryle Pomranke. “By increasing our production space and enhancing our capabilities, we will be better equipped to support our customers growth.”

Blue Earth Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Sarah Ferguson thanked the Pomranke’s for doing this expansion in Blue Earth and increasing their number of employees.

“We appreciate this investment you are making in our community,” Ferguson said. “And for having your business here in Blue Earth.”

Daryle Pomranke said he has appreciated the Blue Earth community, and has always wanted to keep the business here.

“Blue Earth has always treated us well,” he told everyone in attendance. “It has been a great place to have our business.”

It has not always been in Blue Earth.

The company’s history dates back to 1950 when Fred Hicks opened Hicks Repair in downtown Winnebago.

Cecil Jones, Ray Stifimer and Al Thisius purchased the company from Hicks in 1957 and changed the name to Winnebago Manufacturing.

In 1986, the ownership was taken over by the husbands of Cecil Jones’ daughters (Tom Richards and Lyle Jacobson).

The company moved to Blue Earth in 1987 in the building originally built by Holly Park Homes in the 1970s. During the 1990s the company began doing less farm repair and moved to more OEM and job shop work.

Bob Preston and Daryle Pomranke and a third party purchased the company in 1999. At the time, Pomranke was the president and Preston was the vice president and sales manager.

In 2004, Pomranke and Preston purchased the third-party shares.

Daryle Pomranke purchased Preston’s shares in 2012 and is now the sole owner of the company.

“We are looking forward to this expansion,” Matt Pomranke concludes. “We feel it is important to invest in the company and the community.”