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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? 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.

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.

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.  

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.  

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.

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.

Thumbs Up: Here's a "thumbs up" to Alexandria Industries for organizing another "Fishing for the Cure" Ice Fishing Tournament that raises money for the American Cancer Society. The event, which will take place Saturday, Feb. 17 on Smith Lake, has grown by leaps and bounds.

Smith Lake anglers on Saturday, Feb. 17, will not only be trying to pull in walleyes, but raising money to fight cancer. Organizers say the Fishing For the Cure Ice Fishing Challenge will seek to raise $50,000 for cancer this year. In 2017, the group exceeded its $30,000 goal by pulling in $38,000 for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of Douglas County.

On-site and near-site clinics, along with wellness programs, are producing good results for employees of Minnesota companies. Lynette Kluver didn't realize it at the time, but a joke she made during a business meeting would change people's lives and her employer's bottom line.