Rosenbauer America announces expansion

Rosenbauer America announced will expand its Central Division fire apparatus manufacturing facility by 24,000 square-feet. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Nov. 12, 2007 to officially mark the start of construction.

“The Rosenbauer Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of firefighting vehicles. It has a permanent presence in more than 100 countries and it employs nearly 1,500 people worldwide,” said Richard Benda, secretary, Department of Tourism and State Development in South Dakota. “And today, we have the opportunity to celebrate the expansion of this world-class business right here in Lyons, South Dakota.”
New production and fabrication areas will cover nearly 12,000 square-feet, while more than 11,000 square-feet will be dedicated to offices and a showroom facility that will be able to house six completed fire apparatus at any given time.

“This new space means that we will be able to have shorter lead times,” said Harold Boer, CEO of Rosenbauer America. “This is very important to our customers when they need fire apparatus to protect their communities. The new showroom will give the fire departments an experience they won’t forget when they see their brand-new, custom-built fire truck for the first time.”

The additional space will also require more employees. Rosenbauer hopes to add at least 50 new members to its existing staff of 250 over the next five years. With more employees, production is predicted to reach 700 trucks per year, up from the current 600.

Construction on the $1 million expansion is scheduled to be complete February/March of 2008. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site,  www.rosenbaueramerica.com.