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Yanmar Compact Equipment North America, which encompasses the Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV brands, has announced plans for a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its Grand Rapids, Minnesota facility. The company expects to break ground in the spring, with a target for completion in 2024.

We received a lot of support through the investment of Yanmar Co. Ltd. and several city, county and state grants and loans to help make this expansion happen,聺 said Tate Johnson, president of Yanmar CE NA. The expansion will improve efficiency, allowing us to better serve our customers as we continue to grow as a leader in compact equipment.聺

The expansion will include a relocation of the paint system to increase paint capacity up to three times with automation and allow parts manufacturing capacity to increase by up to two times in the previously occupied space.

According to Johnson, the new paint system will be more efficient, have less environmental impact and convert a liquid paint process to a powder-coating system for a higher production rate. Relocating the paint system will allow the space previously occupied to be outfitted with robotic weld cells and cutting tables.

In addition, the project sets the stage for future capacity increases, with company officials projecting the addition of hundreds of full-time positions over the next five years.

Over the last three years, Yanmar CE NA has increased its staff by 35 per cent and boosted quality assurance by adding new positions, tracking key metrics and implementing global quality best practices, the company says.