The Made in Minnesota Directory has reached a threshold: The directory now contains more than 1,000 Minnesota suppliers of products and materials, all pointing to what is made right here at home and helping to make the state more competitive.

The story behind the directory really begins with German farm equipment manufacturer, Geringhoff, and their decision in 2011 to expand operations to the U.S. market. The company conducted a careful, deliberative search for a location – 27 different sites had been considered – and announced that St. Cloud would be the home of its first U.S. manufacturing plant.

Several factors went into making the decision, of course, but crucial was having a local supply network that could provide fabricated metal, advanced plastics parts, hydraulics, electronic componentry and other materials used in the company’s manufacturing process. St. Cloud officials identified 65 manufacturing suppliers in the region, stretching north from Detroit Lakes to south in the Twin Cities.

No other competing location in the country could offer that many suppliers.

DEED officials were intrigued with the role local suppliers played in influencing Geringhoff to locate in central Minnesota. Their arrival in St. Cloud – persuaded by the availability of local suppliers – led to the Made in Minnesota Directory, a first-of-its-kind database to help companies find – and be found by – suppliers based in Minnesota.

Keeping it local helps the economy and keeps Minnesota dollars at home.

Interested in a company listing? Contact DEED Economic Analyst Magda Olson at 651-259-7183 or magda.olson@state.mn.us.

What’s Your “Made in Minnesota” Story?

We want to know your story. How is the Made in Minnesota Directory working for you? Have you found any suppliers that have evolved into long-term relationships? Have any businesses reached out to you as a supplier of products?

And if you’re willing to talk about your experience in more detail, we’d like to showcase your story in DEED Developments.

More than 1,000 Minnesota suppliers of products and materials are currently in the directory. That’s a lot of stories waiting to be told.

Tell us about your experience or update your company’s listing by calling DEED Economic Analyst Magda Olson at 651-259-7183 or magda.olson@state.mn.us.