"We're not going to let a little rain stop us from celebrating this expansion," stated Scott Marienau, Snap-on's Algona plant manager.
The celebration was moved inside, and after the speeches, a Bobcat brought in a load of dirt so that a true groundbreaking could happen.
The expansion of the warehouse capabilities of the plant means that the product built in Algona - Snap-on toolboxes - will be shipped directly from Algona to customers worldwide.
"In garages from ocean to ocean, mechanics place their Snap-on tools in Snap-on toolboxes because it says they are a professional and they use Snap-on," stated Nick Pinchuck, president and chief operating officer of Snap-on Incorporated. "Snap-on boxes are the best in the world because of you."
Snap-on has been in Algona for nearly 50 years and boasts average employee tenure of 33 years.
"Every day there is 100 centuries of experience working here," added Pinchuck. "No other facility anywhere in the world can bring as much experience, capability or dedication."
The warehouse will add 51,000 square feet to the Algona plant, bringing the total to 470,000. Algona and a plant in Arkansas were both competing for the plant.
"We decided to invest here because of the great community support," Pinchuck said. "One of the major facts was the cooperation between everyone involved. I don't want to sell the people in Arkansas short."
The state of Iowa awarded $2.8 million to assist in the project while the city of Algona provided a $300,000 revolving loan over 10 years. Algona will also provide $250,000 for job training. The union also worked with Snap-on to extend the plant's labor agreement to 2014.
"This project was different for me," added Dick Sorenson, project manager with the Iowa Department of Economic Development. "Everyone wanted to make this happen in Algona. The company, city, workers, union, county and state all worked together on this."
"I'm excited," said Maureen Elbert, executive director of the Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation. "This has a global impact on Algona, Kossuth County and neighboring counties."
Receiving the most applause, however, was former plant manager Zeno Reising.
Reising was hired in the 1950s as a plant worker and worked his way up to foreman and office staff before being named as plant manger.
"He knows what it's like on the floor," explained Algona Mayor Lynn Kueck. "People love him for that.
Reising worked for Snap-on for 35 years and was plant manager for 10 years. He has now been retired for 10 years.
"I remember them talking about shipping direct in the 1980s, and my predecessor also talked about it," Reising stated. "It is exciting to see it happening now. It seems like a great accomplishment. All the employees here are smart enough to see the big picture. This needed to be done."
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