Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recently helped celebrate the groundbreaking of a new 15,800 square metre paint facility at the Ditch Witch factory in Perry, Oklahoma.
The event was a part of a stop from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Express Tour of manufacturing companies across the country.
The new paint line facility is expected to generate 100 jobs and will help drive greater operational efficiencies and capacity to better serve customers.
The groundbreaking event was kicked off by Ditch Witch Vice President Kevin Smith with welcoming remarks to the nearly 1,000 people in attendance.
“What we do matters. Within the first 30 minutes of your day, the work that we do makes a positive impact on people’s lives,” Smith said. “The first thing you do in the morning might be check your cell phone and look at the weather or social media. We helped bring that into your hands. Then you flip on the light switch. We helped deliver that power to your house.”
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As Ditch Witch celebrates its 75th anniversary, the expansion reinforces its long-standing commitment to Perry and Oklahoma and positions the company to support future growth in the underground construction industry.
“This investment in the Perry facility will help expand our manufacturing capacity, reinforces our commitment to the many customers we serve around the world, and ultimately helps us continue to produce the world-class products Ditch Witch is known for well into the future,” Smith said.
Ditch Witch traces its roots back to 1902 when Carl Malzhan opened a blacksmith shop with his sons in Perry. Its first production trencher came off the assembly line in 1949, and since that time, Ditch Witch has been the largest employer in Perry and has become a global provider of underground construction equipment. Today, the company employs more than 1,700 people in the community.
The new paint facility is scheduled to be completed in early 2027
