Success Stories

Advanced Insight Manufacturing (formerly Stencil Cutting and Supply):

Advanced Insight Manufacturing (AIM) has been a family business and a woman owned business since 1986. AIM specializes in providing the highest quality code compliant signage in the industry. If you've ever been in an elevator and pressed the buttons, you've probably been assisted by AIM signage. In early 2005 AIM began looking for an opportunity to expand their business, which was located in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St. Paul. AIM was not only considering their facility needs, they also were looking for a community that helped them feel comfortable that it was a great place to raise their families.

The Red Wing Port Authority and the City of Red Wing were able to work with AIM to:

• Find an existing building to suit their needs
• Put together an incentive package that would allow them to make the move and expand their business
• Introduce AIM and its employees to the community by providing school contacts, real estate contacts and even contacts that would help them translate key documents to serve employees whose primary language was not English.

We welcome AIM to Red Wing and are proud to call them a hometown business.

Capital Safety - DBI Sala:

DBI Sala is the world's leading manufacturer in fall protection and industrial rescue systems. If your work takes you more than a few feet off the ground, you would be best served by wearing fall protection products produced by DBI. DBI has a long history of manufacturing in Red Wing, but lack of space at their facility was inhibiting growth. DBI needed to look to their other manufacturing facilities to fuel their expansion needs.

The Red Wing Port Authority along with the City of Red Wing and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development partnered to help DBI acquire and expand into a new facility. We were also able to pull together a buying group and use for their former facility.

DBI has benefited greatly from its new facility, and the City of Red Wing has benefited from expanded job opportunities for its residents.

Automated Equipment:

In late 2004 the Schwann Technology Group announced to the community that they were heading in a new direction and were offering their Red Wing Technology Group for sale. The announcement of the sale generated a number of interested buyers, many of whom were interested in moving the operations from Red Wing.

A buying group consisting of Schwann employees and Red Wing business leaders emerged as one of the parties interested in purchasing the business. Schwanns helped by going the extra mile working with the buyers and the community to insure the facility remained in Red Wing. The Port, the State and a local lender were able to fast track a financing package that insured the business and jobs remain in Red Wing. Within 60 days of the Schwann sale announcement, the transaction was complete.

Food Service Specialties:

Food Service Specialties had outgrown their Wisconsin facility and was in negotiation with a Western Wisconsin community to build a new facility. The financial package in Wisconsin hit a snag and, with a reference from a local business leader, we made contact with the principals from Food Service.

Frustrated with the lack of progress in Wisconsin , the Port knew that if Food Service was going to locate to Red Wing, we needed to perform. The Port was able to provide Food Service with a development-ready facility, an industrial revenue bond, tax increment, and a State sponsored low interest loan.

Construction began in near record time and Food Service has plans to expand their Red Wing facility in 2006.

Knudsen Caramels and Cheesecakes:

Downtown Red Wing is home to a number of historic buildings. The 3-story building known as the Wagon Works was built in the 1860's as a building to do just that, build wagons. Over the years the Wagon Works building was home to a number of uses and most recently had fallen into a state of disrepair. Bricks from the building were actually falling onto cars parked in an adjacent parking lot. Internally, the City wondered if the building was beyond repair and would eventually need to be demolished.

Ron and Peg Knudsen were in the process of home growing a gourmet caramel and cheesecake business. The lower level of their home would no longer accommodate the growth of the business. Ron and Peg also had a history of restoring historic buildings in Red Wing. The community worked with the Knudsen family to acquire and finance a top to bottom renovation of the Wagon Works building. The building now serves as an example of just how one might take a building from a total state of disrepair to a community treasure. Today, the caramel business is stronger than ever and Knudsen Caramels are distributed nationwide.

Greater Red Wing Development Corporation:

The Greater Red Wing Development Corporation is comprised of community leaders with a genuine interest in economic development and the economic vitality of Red Wing. The Corporation was formed to make strategic real estate investments in the community that will generate jobs and additional investment.

As of April 2006, the less than one year old Corporation is in the process of purchasing its first industrial property. With a tenant in place and the full cooperation from local lenders, we're excited to pursue additional industrial development opportunities.