FAST Global Solutions, Inc. (“FAST”) recently announced it has finalized the acquisition of Ariens Company’s Auburn manufacturing plant in Auburn, NE. Integrating the Auburn plant into the FAST operations will have a positive impact on current and future FAST capacity issues and needs for customer satisfaction and further growth.
According to FAST President and CEO, Dane Anderson, “FAST views the team and culture in Auburn as of critical value and importance. Foremost in our planning as we continue to bring the Auburn team and facility online is the preservation of the elements that have made Auburn a success, including the plant culture, community engagement, team atmosphere and continuous improvement focus.”
The FAST Auburn plant will immediately begin producing ground support equipment (GSE) for the airline industry. Employees are engaged in comprehensive training and the plant is being reconfigured to accommodate the production of large equipment. FAST foresees the need to add to the workforce and is accepting applications.
“This transitioned in just 90 days from announcement of closure to acquisition by FAST is really unheard of!” says Jared Gerdes, now FAST Operations Manager and previously Ariens Value Stream Manager at Auburn, “I am extremely proud of the way our team in Auburn pulled together and marketed themselves as the most valuable asset of the Auburn facility. The immediate response and support of our local community and service providers played a key role in making this transition a success!”
FAST, a 100% employee owned company, delivers state-of-the-art solutions in air transportation, material handling and agricultural industries with smartly designed and ruggedly built equipment. Today they are comprised of three product divisions: airline ground support equipment (GSE), parcel conveyor equipment for the material handing industry (CONVEYOR) and FAST AG Solutions (AG), producer of proven, high-quality sprayer and liquid fertilizer equipment for the agricultural industry.
“When Ariens announced they were closing the Auburn plant we understood from the beginning of the process of finding new suitors, the real value in the Auburn plant is the employees.” said Auburn Mayor Scott Kudrna. “The employees knew they had a good team and demonstrated faith in their management by sticking together. Many other times you see a very quick attrition rate after an announcement to close. The work they have done on the transition to FAST has already sent a very impressive message to FAST leadership and throughout the FAST organization, they got a deal when they decided to purchase Auburn’s plant.”
The acquisition is the company’s second location in Nebraska having had a facility in Falls City for 29 years and brings its total employment company-wide to over 850.