AKG, a German-based manufacturer of cooling systems and heat exchangers, recently celebrated the ribbon cutting of its new 80,000 square foot facility in Mitchell, S.D. The opening of the facility in the Mitchell Interstate 90 Industrial Park marks the company’s second U.S. expansion.

“AKG is a world class company that employs more than 2,000 people worldwide,” said Gov. Mike Rounds. “The fact that AKG selected South Dakota as home for its new division shows that South Dakota is one of the best places to do business. South Dakota offers some of the most productive, dedicated and prepared workers the world can offer.”

The state worked closely with the company to ensure that a work force with the necessary skills was available. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) and the South Dakota Department of Labor partnered with the Mitchell Technical Institute and Mitchell Area Development to make sure that South Dakota workers were prepared for AKG’s specialized manufacturing needs.

“We know that to remain competitive in the manufacturing sector, we have to continuously adapt to market conditions, and adopt the latest technologies,” said Rounds. “This is an opportunity for South Dakota to keep our manufacturing sector on the leading edge and competitive in the global marketplace.”

“The cooperation between the government of South Dakota and the local authorities is excellent,” said Dr. Bodo Marquardt, managing director of AKG. “AKG hopes that the relationship between South Dakota, Mitchell and AKG will, in the future, bring profit to the state, the people and our company,” he concluded.

Dieter Reichel, senior consultant for AKG, agreed that South Dakota’s response time and accessibility made it stand out from other sites.

“I can not say enough good things about the state and the community of Mitchell. When I asked the state for information, it never took longer than 12 hours to receive that information,” said Reichel.

AKG currently has 11 manufacturing facilities located around the world. It first expanded to the United States in 1981, when it built a plant in Mebane, N.C.