Skip to content
Home > Company > Industry News

Newsroom

So Many Things to Talk About!

To serve as a leader in the manufacturing sector, it is critical that Alexandria Industries share news that is important to our customers and industry partners. The articles below – featured in national, regional, local, business and trade media – offer expert, third-party insight into industry trends and issues.

Learn how we help:

  • Manufacturers and design engineers discover new ways to create innovative product development solutions
  • Educate customers about industry issues
  • Develop our future leaders
  • Change the beliefs people may have about working in manufacturing to help fill the skills gap

Happy reading!

Alexandria Industries Raises $75,000 for Relay for Life

Voice of Alexandria | February 20, 2020
Alexandria Industries Fishing For the Cure

The organizers of the Alexandria Industries’ Fishing For the Cure Ice Fishing Challenge raised a whopping $75,000 for Relay for Life of Douglas County. Patty Hoffman says they also had record-breaking attendance with 1,436 entry ticket holders. The event was held out on Smith Lake near Nelson on Saturday February 15th. This is the 14th annual fundraising fishing event that Alexandria Industries has conducted in their efforts to raise money to help with cancer research and outreach.


New Press to Increase Capacity by 30% — Interview with Steve Schabel, Alexandria Industries

Light Metal Age | January 20, 2020

Light Metal Age magazine features an in-depth Q&A with Steve Schabel, chief sales and marketing officer, for Alexandria Industries. The article appears in the magazine’s new series: Top Extruders in North America. The information covers our current business, keys to success, target markets, new extrusion press and building addition, and more.


Shortage of workers continues to affect job growth in Minnesota

Star Tribune | September 20, 2019

The state added 1,100 jobs, with unemployment rate falling to 3.3%, in August. Minnesota managed to end August with more jobs, but a continued shortage of workers mixed with myriad other economic concerns continue to affect job growth in the state.


Why US Firms are Desperate to Retain Ageing Workers

BBC | August 20, 2019
Alexandria Industries aluminum extrusion die profile

After almost five decades manufacturing industrial products for such diverse industries as solar power and defence, the company could ill-afford to lose Mr Klug's expertise.

Like a number of US states, Minnesota has a labour shortage – specifically a skills shortage – and seeing his valuable experience disappear overnight would have left Alexandria's management with big shoes to fill.

According to the US Department of Labor, since March 2018 US monthly job vacancies have outnumbered unemployed job seekers. As the baby boomers reach retirement, it seems there are not enough millennials in the jobs pipeline ready to step in.


Who Wants to Work in Manufacturing?

Twin Cities Business | March 1, 2019
twin cities business, alexandria industries, help wanted, aluminum extrusion, manufacturing, skills gap, machining, students, middle school

Who Wants to work in Manufacturing? Alexandria Industries, along with other leading Minnesota manufacturers, were included in the March 2019 issue of Twin Cities Business feature story about the lack of employees to hire and what some companies and educators are doing to fill the skills gap.


If at First Your CNC Machine Shop Doesn't Succeed with Robots, Automate Again

Modern Machine Shop | March 1, 2019
modern machine shop, alexandria industries, cnc machining, cnc machine tending, aluminum extrusion

An Automation Comeback Story Modern Machine Shop magazine features Alexandria Industries in its March 2019 cover story: If at First Your CNC Machine Shop Doesn't Succeed with Robots, Automate Again. The story, written by Executive Editor Derek Korn, shares the evolution of our use of robotics and automation technology for CNC machine tending. It begins with our first robot, Rosie, and goes through to where we are today on our robotics journey. Korn visited our Alexandria, Minn., extrusion, fabrication and machining facility in late 2018.


FISHING FOR THE CURE SET FOR FEB. 16: TOURNAMENT RAISES MONEY FOR RELAY FOR LIFE

Echo Press | February 10, 2019
alexandria industries fishing for the cure

The 13th Annual Alexandria Industries Fishing For the Cure ice fishing tournament is slated for Saturday, Feb. 16. The tourney will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Smith Lake, between Nelson and Carlos. Prizes will be awarded for the top 100 fish by weight. However, organizers of the annual event said that beyond the prizes and of course, bragging rights for catching the biggest fish, the tournament is hands down a great way to enjoy being on the ice with family and friends. And it is all for a great cause.  


Great Careers in Manufacturing

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt | August 3, 2018
skilled workforce alexandria industries

Featured on NBC Nightly News, Alexandria Industries brings the skilled worker shortage issue to a national news level. Tariffs or no tariffs, there is a skilled worker shortage in the U.S., and without addressing the issue, it may evolve into a national crisis. For many years, Alexandria Industries has been creating solutions for this problem. One conversation at a time, we will continue to educate others about working in manufacturing and the great career opportunities it offers.  


Manufacturers Increase Efforts to Woo Workers to Rural Areas

The New York Times | August 3, 2018
Alexandria Industries, shortage of skilled workers

They call it the “Not So Heavy Metal” tour. It’s a lighthearted effort by Minnesota-based Alexandria Industries to introduce middle and high school students — as well the general public — to manufacturing.

While the name is humorous, it belies an issue that is anything but. The component manufacturing company, with about 550 employees roughly two hours north of the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, faces an acute problem affecting many rural manufacturers: a shortage of workers to fill skilled and unskilled positions.


Goin' to the Lake: Alexandria Industries

WCCO TV (CBS) | July 27, 2018
Alexandria Industries, manufacturing careers

WCCO TV's (CBS) Pat Kessler and Esme Murphy visited Alexandria Industries during their 'Goin To The Lake' series. The two reporters toured our facility at 401 County Road 22 NW in Alexandria, and learned about what we do. We discussed our job openings, and the work we are doing to grow our future workforce by showing students the great careers they can have working in manufacturing.