The ribbon has been cut on the second phase of expansion at Elmer's Manufacturing north of Altona.

"This really is a story that started back in 2019," explains Mike Friesen, company president and CEO.

"We had a fire that destroyed our assembly and paint line. In 2020 we commissioned our phase one, which rebuilt the paint and assembly line. 
We finished this phase two expansion in August of 2022 and finally got all the equipment in place that's up and running today that we can show it off."

The latest project added 24,000 square feet of fabrication space to the main floor.

"Half of it will be dedicated to processing the metal and the other half is to welding. In the processing side, we've added a new 12-kilowatt laser (cutting system). It's fully automated for loading and unloading, capable of running lights out. It also allows us to put other processes like saw cutting and machining, adjacent to it to easily feed our welding process. It really speeds up the processing time and reduces the number of logistics needed to move those parts."

According to the company website, the new space also features a 4,800-square-foot mezzanine above the main floor providing a great vantage point over all production processes.  As well, it hosts a large break room, office spaces, and a conference room.

Friesen says they're seeing an increased demand for their products.

"The ag economy has risen significantly over the last two years, commodity prices are at all-time highs. We've had some really good yields as well too. 
With us being a global supplier of equipment, it's actually been seen all around the world. The demand for equipment and the short supply chain for that equipment has really increased the demand for our products. We're really growing our dealer footprint as well to help support extra sales."

Till now, the new building temporarily accommodated shipping and packaging. In a month Friesen says it will house the entire welding department and the old building will become a warehouse.

Over the span of the initial expansions, the company has grown from 95 to 187 employees.