After almost five decades manufacturing industrial products for such diverse industries as solar power and defence, the company could ill-afford to lose Mr Klug’s expertise. Like a number of US states, Minnesota has a labour shortage – specifically a skills shortage – and seeing his valuable experience disappear overnight would have left Alexandria’s management with big shoes to fill. According to the US Department of Labor, since March 2018 US monthly job vacancies have outnumbered unemployed job seekers. As the baby boomers reach retirement, it seems there are not enough millennials in the jobs pipeline ready to step in.

Who Wants to work in Manufacturing? Alexandria Industries, along with other leading Minnesota manufacturers, were included in the March 2019 issue of Twin Cities Business feature story about the lack of employees to hire and what some companies and educators are doing to fill the skills gap.

The 13th Annual Alexandria Industries Fishing For the Cure ice fishing tournament is slated for Saturday, Feb. 16. The tourney will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Smith Lake, between Nelson and Carlos. Prizes will be awarded for the top 100 fish by weight. However, organizers of the annual event said that beyond the prizes and of course, bragging rights for catching the biggest fish, the tournament is hands down a great way to enjoy being on the ice with family and friends. And it is all for a great cause.  

Featured on NBC Nightly News, Alexandria Industries brings the skilled worker shortage issue to a national news level. Tariffs or no tariffs, there is a skilled worker shortage in the U.S., and without addressing the issue, it may evolve into a national crisis. For many years, Alexandria Industries has been creating solutions for this problem. One conversation at a time, we will continue to educate others about working in manufacturing and the great career opportunities it offers.  

They call it the “Not So Heavy Metal” tour. It’s a lighthearted effort by Minnesota-based Alexandria Industries to introduce middle and high school students — as well the general public — to manufacturing. While the name is humorous, it belies an issue that is anything but. The component manufacturing company, with about 550 employees roughly two hours north of the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, faces an acute problem affecting many rural manufacturers: a shortage of workers to fill skilled and unskilled positions. Read the article here.

Clean Energy Economy MN recently published a video about one of our favorite manufacturing engineers, Adam Rupp. Hear the story Adam tells about working at Alexandria Industries, how his childhood experiences led him to work in manufacturing and why clean energy, especially solar, is important to Alexandria Industries, to Adam, and to his family. (Click the image to view the video.)

On-site and near-site clinics, along with wellness programs, are producing good results for employees of Minnesota companies. Lynette Kluver didn’t realize it at the time, but a joke she made during a business meeting would change people’s lives and her employer’s bottom line.

Neal St. Anthony, business reporter at The Star Tribune, recently published a story, Growth of Green Energy Hits a New High,” about the Minnesota’s renewable energy industry.

It’s time to celebrate an industry that’s a powerful contributor to the economies of Minnesota and Douglas County — manufacturing. October 1-7 is Minnesota Manufacturing Week for a reason. Manufacturing accounts for one in nine jobs in the state. When you add in jobs in other industries that are dependent on manufacturing, each manufacturing job generates another 2.21 jobs in other segments of the economy.