U.S. Secretary of Commerce Visits Vermeer Corp.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker traveled to Vermeer Corp. Aug.9 as she continues her nationwide listening tour, during which she ismeeting with businesses and thought leaders to hear about theirpriorities, concerns and ideas on how the public and private sectors canwork together to strengthen the economy and create American jobs.

“We welcome the opportunity to represent the voice of business as theSecretary acclimates herself to the opportunities and challengesindustry faces to grow domestically and abroad,” said Vermeer presidentand CEO Mary Andringa. “We thank the Secretary for making the commitmentto listen to those who are working every day to grow American jobs andAmerican business opportunities.”

While visiting, Pritzker saw examples of the Vermeer  global footprintby touring manufacturing facilities where the company’s largest machineto date – the 200-ton T1655 Terrain Leveler surface excavation machine —is built and then exported around the world; the Vermeer Parts Centerwhere more than 65,000 active parts are stocked and shipments are madedomestically and internationally daily; and lastly, the lean brushchipper assembly line where the number of days from raw steel tofinished product has been reduced from 52 days to two days as part of aLean journey that began in 1997.