Nor-Am finalizes purchase of Harker's plant

Greg Brandt, Nor-Am president and CEO, said today (Wednesday) the company will be using the plant to repackage and manufacture some products serving area food companies.

Opening day is not far for the new Nor-Am facility.

"I'm excited about it. We're going to try to have our people over there beginning work March 2," he said on a phone interview from their recently purchased Detroit Lake, Minn. plant. "That's our targeted first date of operations. We've got some equipment to move and some things to do."

They are going to start using the plant as-is, he said.

"Initially we're going to go into it pretty much as it is and we will begin our operations in there as soon as possible, then we will make any modifications to fit what we want to do as time goes on," Brandt said.

Nor-Am, he said, will likely add employees over time.

"We're not going to hire a wave of people right now but we anticipate increasing our employment as time goes on," Brandt said.

Currently Nor-Am employs more than 150 people in four states: Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Texas.

Nor-Am's decision to purchase the plant was announced at the end of January at the Le Mars Annual Chamber Dinner.

Later, the Le Mars City Council voted to excuse about $115,000 Harker's owed on a city loan to help seal the sale to Nor-Am.

The council agreed to cut the remaining piece of a partially-paid $500,000 interest-bearing economic development loan from the city to a final payment of $108,000.

The negotiations for the Harker's plant took about four months, according to Jim Harker, Harker's president.

"Everybody contributed," he said. "The city was heavily involved, Roger Athens was heavily involved, and Greg Brandt and his team did a great job."

Harker sees the sale as a positive for Le Mars.

"A non-working asset is not good for any community," he said. "I view this as a good thing for the community and for my family."