News Releases for November 2007
November 05, 2007
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Hoeven, Wishek Manufacturing, Wil-Rich Leaders Break Ground For New Facility
WISHEK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today was joined by leaders of Wishek Manufacturing, its parent company Wil-Rich, and city and state officials to break ground for the company’s new $1 million assembly plant in the rural south central community of Wishek.
The new 12,000 sq. ft. facility will provide additional space for the assembly of the company’s highly regarded Wishek Disk and other tillage products, which are distributed nationally, overseas and in Canada. Wil-Rich is working with the North Dakota Trade Office to aggressively expand markets overseas, and participated last year in a trade mission to Australia.
Last year, the facility produced 180 units, this year it will produce 230 units, and company officials expect to produce 300 units in 2008. Wishek Manufacturing will employ 45 to 47 people at the Wishek facility, and Wil-Rich employs 130 at its 340,000 sq. ft. facility in Wahpeton.
“Since Wil-Rich acquired Wishek Manufacturing last year, they’ve dramatically increased sales, including foreign sales,” Hoeven said. “That’s why they’re building a new facility here. I want to commend Mike Bullinger, Howard Dahl, Brian Dahl, Victor Klosterman and the Wil-Rich Company for making this expansion in Wishek. I also want to commend Mitch and Kim Bosch, and the Wishek Manufacturing employees for the outstanding work they’re doing here.”
Joining Hoeven for the announcement were Mitch Bosch and his wife Kim, whose family founded Wishek Manufacturing in 1969. Also attending were Wil-Rich President Mike Bullinger; Wil-Rich partners Brian Dahl, Victor Klosterman and Howard Dahl, who is president of sister company Amity Technology of Fargo; Wishek Mayor Victor Vilhauer; members of the Wichek City Council and Jobs Development Authority; as well as other city and state officials.
Wishek Steel and Manufacturing was founded in 1969 by Harley and Carol Brandner. In 1973, Harley, a local farmer, developed the Wishek Disc, a superior, heavy duty tillage disc that didn’t need the frequent repairs so familiar to farmers. In 1977, he took the product commercial.
In 2006, the company was acquired by Wil-Rich, a Wahpeton, N.D. manufacturer of tillage products and agriculture equipment. The Wil-Rich partners saw an opportunity to encourage a quality manufacturing company in rural North Dakota, and have invested in the operation’s growth. The Brandner’s daughter Kim Bosch continues to serve in an accounting role, and son-in-law Mitch serves as general manager of the company.
“My Wife Kim and I moved our family to Wishek in 1995 to help Kim’s parents run their family owned business,” said Wishek Manufacturing General Manager Mitch Bosch. “Thanks to Wishek MFG and the wonderful community of Wishek, we decided to make the town our home. The Wishek Disc is arguably the best piece of tillage equipment built today, and it is built right here in Wishek, N.D. All of us are proud of what we have accomplished in the past, and we are excited to be part of the future with the people of the Amity-Wil-Rich-Wishek group.”
“Last year when Wil-Rich purchased Wishek Manufacturing we made a commitment to Mitch, Kim and their employees not only to keep the manufacturing facilities in Wishek, North Dakota, but to improve and expand upon the operations of the Company,” said Mike Bullinger, President of Wil-Rich. “Today as we begin construction of a new 12,000 square foot assembly plant, we want the community to know that this is only the beginning of that commitment. All of us at Wil-Rich are very excited to be a part of the success of Wishek Manufacturing.”
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