This month is a special time for us at Virnig Manufacturing, and not just because of the changing seasons. May 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of Virnig Manufacturing. 30 years ago, I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted where we are now, but I’d like to take this opportunity to share a bit about the Virnig story.
Similar to many other success stories, ours began in a garage. It was 1989 when Dean and Lois Virnig started Virnig Manufacturing and Welding in Pierz, Minnesota. During those early years, we were a small welding and repair shop that mainly served nearby farmers.
Once Dean and Lois outgrew their garage, Virnig Manufacturing moved into its first shop.
Additions were made in 1994, 1997, and 1999 due to high demand. Here’s the front of the shop in 1995.
This is a great shot of the shop in 1998 showing the multiple expansions.
I have one more vintage photo to show you. It’s a picture of Virnig’s second company truck, a 1991 Ford F250. Dean was pretty proud of this truck when we showed him the picture. He said he wishes he still had it!
Today, Virnig Manufacturing resides in Rice, Mn and looks much different from what it did before. We’re a premium skid steer attachment manufacturer with full production on-site. Here’s an overhead photo of our current facility — notice our solar panels, they power 40 percent of our business.
From then to now, our look may be different, but the values that guide Virnig Manufacturing have more or less stayed the same. Everything we do and each choice we make comes from a focus on family hospitality.
Yes, we obsess over our products, but our business has always been about the people. Each and every day, we try to show employees the same hospitality inspired by the small town values where it all began.
Businesses measure their success in many ways, but we’ve found the true measure of our success is employee longevity. When we really take a look at things and realize some Virnig employees have been here for over 20 years, it lets us know we’re doing something right.
As a result of successfully combining family and business, we have an exciting future ahead of us. The best is yet to come! It’s this spirit that started the company and has driven the company's success for the last 30 years.
Here at Virnig, we’re celebrating throughout the month of May, and we’d like you to join us. Here are the details:
In honor of our 30th anniversary, we will be giving away an awesome Virnig prize pack to one lucky Facebook and one lucky Instagram follower! Throughout the month of May, post a photo of your Virnig attachment with the hashtags #Virnig and #Virnig30th to enter to win (don't forget to make sure your post is set to 'Public')! The more times you post, the better your chances to win! The winner will be picked and announced on May 31st!
Even if you don’t participate in the giveaway, it’s still a good time to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. In honor of our anniversary, we’ll be sharing some fun photos and nuggets from our first 30 years in business.
I want to give a sincere THANK YOU to all of you who have supported us throughout the years and decided to make Virnig attachments a part of your fleet!