CNH Industrial, which had previously purchased the Buhler building in Willmar, Minn., is transforming it into a warehousing facility, according to a report from the West Central Tribune. The company has a $1.9 million budget to use for renovations and upgrades.

The first step will be to occupy two-thirds of the building on the east side and then install four loading docks. In the meantime, the rest of the building will remain unoccupied. 

Each day, 15 trucks will deliver parts to the building and 6 trucks will depart Willmar for the company's facility in Benson, Minn. Although a majority of the heavy manufacturing will occur in Benson, the Willmar location will run light manufacturing, which includes kit assembly. 

CNH Industrial operates 9 manufacturing plants in the U.S., including Benson and now Willmar. The move to Willmar comes after CNH lost its lease for one of its three buildings in Benson. The manufacturing plant in Benson has around 450 employees, including 100 employees from plants in other states. Sarah Swedburg, business development manager for Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission said the current conditions are “hurting for employees.” 

The company keeps about 40 to 50 engines, which is about a week’s supply. “All of their engines get shipped in, and the one really stark conversation that we had was the one around logistics and the supply chain, of course,” said Swedburg. 

A majority of the engines shipped to the U.S. come on cargo ships. 

“Because of the backup there and wanting to make sure that they don’t run out of engines, they are now storing four to five hundred engines at any given time in the U.S., which is why they are seeing an increase in the need for warehousing space,” said Swedburg. 

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