 STACEY: ONE YEAR AFTER THAT
HUGE TORNADO DAMAGED THE VERMEER
MANUFACTURING PLANT IN PELLA,
THE COMPANY IS ANNOUNCING BIG
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
KCCI SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL
IS FOLLOWING THE NEW
DEVELOPMENTS IN MARION COUNTY.
>> THE PLAN IS TO BUILD BIGGER
AND BETTER THAN EVER.
A SMALL SHOVEL OF DIRT
REPRESENTS A HUGE STEP FORWARD
AT VERMEER MANUFACTURING IN
PELLA.
>> I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF
HOW THE LAST 51 WEEKS HAVE
PLAYED OUT AFTER THE TORNADO.
>> VERMEER CEO JASON ANDRINGA IS
ANNOUNCING CONSTRUCTION OF THREE
NEW MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN
BUILDINGS FOR IT’S INDUSTRIAL
AND AG EQUIPMENT
THIS IS THE TORNADO AS IT TEARS
THROUGH VERMEER LAST SUMMER.
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT
DESTROYED SEVERAL MASSIVE
MANUFACTURING BUILDINGS ALON
WHAT’S CALLED THE VERMEER MILE.
FROM THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND
THE DAMAGE WAS OVERWHELMING.
ROOFS TORN OFF, WALLS COLLAPSED,
CARS SMASHED AND PILED UP LIKE
TOYS.BUT NO ONE WAS BADLY
INJURED.
>> WE KNEW WE COULD RECOVER AND
REBUILD BECAUSE WE HAD OUR TEAM.
, AND FOR THE PAST YEAR THE TEAM
HAS BEEN WORKING ON DESIGNING
NEW AND BIGGER BUILDINGS.
THEY UNVEILED PLANS FOR THE
STRUCTURES AND PROMISED
CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES THE
TORNADO WILL NOT STOP PROGRESS
FOR THE 71-YEAR-OLD FAMILY
COMPANY.
>> I WOULD INVITE EVERYONE BACK
TO COME SEE THE ADVANCES WE ARE
MAKING IN PAINT TECHNOLOGY,
COATING TECH, JUST ENVIRONMENT
FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS AND IT’S
GOING TO BE AN AMAZING SPACE.
>> THIS IS THE GREATEST
CHALLENGE VERMEER HAS EVER FACED
AND YET I AM SO PROUD THAT WE
HAVE CLEARLY TURNED IT INTO AN
OPPORTUNITY.
>> CONSTRUCTION ON THE VERMEER
MANUFACTURING PLANT.
WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL TRACES OF
