Hy-Capacity Inc., a remanufacturer of tractor components headquartered in Humboldt, Iowa, recently broke ground on the expansion of its manufacturing facility. Hy-Capacity’s new, larger facility will streamline operations and improve traffic flow, following the company’s lean manufacturing philosophy to maximize efficiency and reduce waste.
Steve Olson, Hy-Capacity president, credits the company’s success to his employees’ commitment to continuous improvement.
“We aren’t sitting still, or trying to tread water. We are in growth mode,” he said. “We are always putting our employees through training and education. Each employee has been trained in lean manufacturing and has been through 5-S training. We have invested in our employees, and we think they are our most valuable resource. That’s one of the keys to being a successful company – having employees like we have.”
The expansion is a $2 million investment in Humboldt and will create an estimated 20 new jobs by project completion.
“This is a great thing, not only for Humboldt and Humboldt County, but for the state of Iowa,” said Representative Dolores Mertz. “Because we can’t grow in the state unless we have businesses and facilities like Hy-Capacity that help us do that.”
The building addition is being designed with the latest environmental stewardship best practices in mind, including integrated geothermal and wind power systems to improve the facility’s energy efficiency. Hy-Capacity has been recognized in recent years for its commitment to reducing waste in the manufacturing process and reducing its impact on the environment.
The company has a long history of environmental stewardship and has received zero-landfill distinction.
“In August 2008, Hy-Capacity called me and asked me to help them become a zero-landfill company,” said Fred Kesten of Iowa Waste Exchange. “That got my interest because you don’t usually see smaller companies doing that. It’s really great to work with a company in these times that’s expanding or improving.”
In 2009, Hy-Capacity received the Renew Rural Iowa Leader Award and was named Recycling Facility of the Year by the Iowa Recycling Association. The company was also recognized by the National Manufacturing Extension Partnership for Excellence in Sustainability and has received the Iowa Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
About Hy-Capacity
Hy-Capacity Inc. is a family owned corporation specializing in the manufacturing and remanufacturing of tractor components, including agricultural clutches, water pumps and torque amplifiers. The company has a long history of environmental stewardship, including the formation of the Hy-Capacity Green Team, a group of employees responsible for identifying opportunities for recycling and other initiatives to make the company a zero-landfill facility. Hy-Capacity is headquartered in Humboldt, Iowa, with a manufacturing plant in Dayton, Iowa. There are currently 20 regional warehouses and 35 distributors and salespeople servicing the United States, Canada and Mexico.
