On Monday, August 19th, Iowa’s Lieutenant Governor, Adam Gregg spent time with Osceola’s Miller Products Company team, touring and discussing the state of manufacturing across the state. Gregg, who is Co-Chair of the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative requested the tour to see, first hand, the Miller operation and discuss with Owner, Kerry Richardson, some of the challenges facing the industry.
“We’re seeing a lot of post-pandemic recovery in manufacturing,” said Richardson. “But with the ag sector taking a hit recently, a good percentage of our customers are concerned.”
While touring the plant, Lt. Governor Gregg and Richardson discussed Miller Products Company’s core customer base and how Miller maintains balance producing solely American-made products for customers across North America. From acquiring raw steel materials from Chicago to the manufacturing and delivery of products across the continent, the Miller process has been steady through the recent volatility seen in some manufacturing sectors.
“Honestly, the diversity of our customer base helps maintain Miller’s stability,” said Richardson.
Richardson explained to the Lt. Governor that Miller’s extensive stock catalog offered to industries ranging from agriculture to construction, augmented by custom manufactured and lathed CNC and precision Swiss CNC manufactured parts for the medical industry help when any one of their customers sees a dip or surge in demand.
Seeking to provide clarity and possible solutions, the Lieutenant Governor asked the Miller team where they experienced the most challenges. The strongest response from both the management and operations sides was the need for more workforce education and qualified candidates.
“One of the biggest challenges the industry is facing is finding and keeping qualified, motivated employees,” said Richardson. “We need candidates who can understand the basics of manufacturing and are ready to be trained for an ever-evolving industry.”
Lt. Governor Gregg took in the information with focus, stating that he, Governor Reynolds, and the current congressional membership would continue working on addressing rural manufacturing leadership challenges as well as candidate recruitment and retention across Iowa’s rural communities. He also went on to congratulate Miller Products for continued growth and the ability to make capital investments in the face of industry fluctuations.
“It’s heartening to see the successes Miller has experienced over the recent years,” said Gregg. “The manufacturing sector is the lifeblood of Iowa’s rural community, and we’ll keep doing everything we can to support it.”