BY DEBBIE PAGE
CR Onsrud CEO Tom Onsrud welcomed a crowd of several hundred guests from all over the country to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the company’s new 83,000-square-foot assembly facility, the company’s fourth expansion since moving to its current site in Troutman in 2006.
Onsrud expressed appreciation to all who took the time to come out to celebrate the opening and the company’s “incredible journey.” He also thanked the hard-working company staff and various government and economic development entities present for the ceremony.
“This is absolutely not about me. It’s about the Onsrud team who makes all this happen,” the CEO said.
Onsrud recounted how he purchased the present company site, which was a piece of farmland advertised for sale with a misspelled sign on a slab of plywood. After the owner insisted they must purchase the whole parcel, Onsrud purchased all 48 acres for $840,000 a few weeks later.
The original facility near Exit 42 had 20 employees, expanding to 50 with the opening of the first phase of the new facility. Now they have grown to over 200 staff members and are looking to add 100 more employees.
“This expansion enables us to house more staff to build more CNC machines, bigger machines, and to build them faster,” he said.
The staff recently built one machine in the new facility that reaches 1,000 square feet, and another stands over 23 feet tall.
“We engineer these CNC machines for manufacturers that then go on to build a lot of really cool stuff. We are involved in many, many industries,” Onsrud said. “People come to us and say, ‘We have this problem. Can you help us?’ ”
“It’s crucial to note that your support of the company not only supports CR Onsrud and the local community, but it also goes to support countless manufacturers of components all across America,” he added.
Special guest Congressman Pat Harrington said that CR Onsrud “embodies the best” of U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and hard work.
“This expansion isn’t just about adding some square footage. It’s about creating opportunity. It’s about building for our future and proving that American manufacturing is indeed alive and well in this country,” Harrigan said. “For decades CR Onsrud has been setting the standard in CNC machining, designing and building world-class equipment that’s used in aerospace, marine, composites, and woodworking.”
“This company has become a North Carolina success story, a family-owned business that has grown into a global leader while remaining true to its roots.”
The ceremony was a celebration of a $17 million investment that expands CR Onsrud’s footprint to over 250,000 square feet.
“CR Onsrud represents what’s right about American manufacturing- vision, dedication, and a true commitment to excellence,” Harrigan said. “Congratulations to the entire team on this incredible milestone, and I’m very confident about one thing — the best days for American manufacturing are not behind us. They are in front of us.”
Iredell County Commissioner Brad Stroud expressed his excitement about the new facility and its impact on the local economy and its workers.
“This is good growth. We are keeping and expanding a company in America, a $17 million investment in Iredell County,” he said. “It supports the county’s economy. We have to have that balance of manufacturing, commercial and residential to support the county’s infrastructure process. A company pays more in taxes than it receives in benefits and helps keep the tax rate as low as possible.”
Troutman Town Manager Ron Wyatt recounted the company’s exponential growth from a humble start to a global entity of which founder Charlie Onsrud would be proud.
Wyatt thanked CR Onsrud for its investment in the Troutman community and its tax base as well as its economy, which is supported by the employees recruited locally and from around the world.
“Iredell County is one of the fastest growing counties in the world because of businesses like this and the laws that allow us to be a business-friendly environment,” he said.
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis also sent his representative Lauren Kennedy to read a letter of congratulations.
“Manufacturing is vital part of our state’s economy, and CR Onsrud is an excellent example of an organization that is supporting important jobs in our state. I applaud your role in producing American-made products, and I am grateful for your continued investment in North Carolina.”
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