Vermeer Strong

On July 19, 2018, Vermeer faced one of the greatest challenges in its company history when an EF3 tornado struck the Vermeer campus directly. Everyone on campus during the storm was accounted for, and only seven people suffered minor physical injuries, but the structural losses were severe. Plants 5 and 6, which had stood directly north of this site, were a total loss. The original Plant 7, which had stood east of Plants 5 and 6, was severely damaged; it was later repaired and is now part of the Mile's Plant 7 structure. In the destruction's aftermath, "Vermeer Strong" became a rallying cry for Vermeer team members, inspired by CEO Jason Andringa's vow that the company would rebuild and come back stronger than ever. The recovery marked both the loss of longtime facilities and the beginning of a new era of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that grew out of the devastation and now enable Vermeer to equip its customers to do more.

Pella, Iowa · United States