Altec HiLine, LLC.plans to expand its Duluth manufacturing facility at 1255 Port Terminal Drive.

In a Tuesday announcement, the company said it makes the highest-reaching vehicle-mounted aerial device in the country for the electric utility, telecommunications, tree care, construction and lights and signs industries. Alabama-based Altec, Inc expanded to Duluth in 2002, establishing Altec HiLine as part of a global team that provides products and services in more than 100 countries.

The expansion is scheduled to begin this spring and will include manufacturing equipment upgrades and related machinery that will result in additional jobs.

“This is another exciting economic development project for our region involving two successful companies, Altec HiLine and A.W. Kuettel & Sons, working in collaborative with the City of Duluth, St. Louis County, the Port Authority, and the State of Minnesota.” Mayor Don Ness said in a news release, “This is further proof of the resurgence of value-added manufacturing in Duluth as well as our continuous efforts to work with existing employers to facilitate growth and create new jobs.”

The St. Louis County Board is being asked by the city and Altec to make application to the state of Minnesota’s Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) for a $250,000 Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) loan to be applied to manufacturing equipment purchases which may be forgivable if Altec HiLine meets specific job creation and private investment criteria. The St Louis County Board will formally consider approval of submitting the MIF loan application to the State at a board meeting in February.

To accommodate the plan, the city, the Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA), the State of Minnesota and the Duluth Seaway Port Authority previously partnered to assist A.W. Kuettel & Sons, Inc. with a planned $1.8 million expansion and relocation from the space in the Industrial Building to a newly constructed building in the Duluth Airpark at 3930 Airpark Boulevard.

“In 2011, a new facility for A. W. Kuettel and Sons was apparent and the planning began. As we got closer to having a conceptual design and location options early in 2012, Altec was ramping up production in their Duluth location and looking for additional space to expand,” said Jason Kuettel. “As we are currently in the same building as Altec, the news inspired us to aggressively pursue our options with local property managers and our banker to make sure a new facility could become a reality. We will be moving into our new facility this spring and would like to thank Altec for the spark!”

The expansion and relocation of A.W. Kuettel & Sons was made possible in part through the Build in Duluth (BID) Program and the State of Minnesota’s JOBZ Program which were approved in June 2012.

A.W. Kuettel & Sons, Inc. is an industrial metal fabricator, mechanical and roof contractor employing over 80 employees and has been headquartered in Duluth since 1924.

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