Amid much anticipation, Henderson Products, Inc. rolled out the first trucks from its Fulton plant Tuesday morning. Holding a ribbon cutting ceremony at their complex on 400 W. St. Eunice Road, company officials praised the workforce they found in Mid-Missouri.
Marty Ward, President of the company, called for a round of applause for the new employees as he noted their "phenomenal skill set" and their "great work ethic." He also commended the State Technical College of Missouri and publicly thanked those responsible for education grants made available to the students.
"We couldn't meet the needs of our customers who were ordering additional trucks," said Ward explaining why they felt a need to locate new a plant in Fulton. "This will allow us to expand our production."
"They told us they had dried up the workforce in Iowa," said Fulton Area Development Corporation Director Bruce Hackman addressing the crowd at the ceremony. He went on to say that when Henderson Products, Inc. held a job fair on June 4 at the Callaway County Electric Cooperative, 200 people attended.
"That's validation of the workforce to be found in Mid-Missouri," he said.
A leader in manufacturing and distributing truck-mounted snow and ice removal equipment, Henderson Products, Inc., which is headquartered in Manchester, Iowa, announced in May their intention to open a facility in Fulton's industrial park. As reported in the Fulton Sun at that time, it was Fulton's proximity to I-70 that gave it the edge over other regional cities.
The company currently has contracts with the Missouri Department of Transportation, Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Kansas Turnpike among other entities.
The international company is also a new member of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce, and several Chamber Ambassadors attended the event.
"We want to welcome and thank Henderson Products, Inc. for investing in our town," said Chamber President Matt Gowin.