 Wabash National Corporation, a diversified industrial manufacturer in North America's leading producer of semi-trailers and liquid transportation systems, is bringing a production facility to Little Falls. Wabash National is headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, and this will be its first production facility in Minnesota. Wabash purchased and plans to renovate a 53-acre manufacturing site. Formally, Larson votes in Little Falls, and they plan to use it to manufacture select parts for the semi-trailer and truck body market using a proprietary molded structural composite technology. The project entails significant renovations to the 600,000 square feet of buildings and adding machinery and equipment for manufacturing. Overall, it's expected to cost $11 million with $500,000 for renovations to the existing facility. The company expects to create 70 new full-time jobs, paying an average of a little more than $18 per hour within the first two years of the project. It plans to have about 30 employees at the facility by the end of June and 70 by the end of next year. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is supporting the project with a grant of up to $188,500 from the Job Creation Fund, a $400,000 loan from the Minnesota Investment Fund, and a little more than $99,000 from the Job Training Incentive Program. The City of Little Falls and the Morrison County Rural Finance Authority also plan to provide local incentives. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.