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Pueblo, CO Welcomes Global Companies

A handful of companies from around the world have located or expanded their manufacturing operations to the Pueblo area.

By Kevin Litwin on August 3, 2014

Pueblo

Welcome to America, and welcome to Pueblo.

A handful of companies from around the world have located or expanded their manufacturing operations in Pueblo in recent years, investing millions of dollars and creating jobs. Those companies include EVRAZ Pueblo (Russia, steel); Grupos Cementos Corp. (Mexico, cement plant); Haddonstone (United Kingdom, tile); pewag (Austria, tire chains); and Vestas (Denmark, wind systems).

“We offer economic incentives to assist major businesses with their capital investment, and Pueblo has a strong skilled workforce that would be attractive to global companies thinking of doing business here,” says Jack Rink, president and CEO of Pueblo Economic Development Corp.

Rink says international companies don’t face any different codes or regulations when locating in Pueblo, and he talks to global firms on a regular basis. He adds that another key advantage for companies thinking about Pueblo is a strong transportation system.

“We are a city with two major railroads going through it ­– Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe – while our roadways include Interstate 25 heading north and south, and U.S. Highway 50 is a major east-west thoroughfare,” Rink says. “Pueblo has its own airport with more than 12 United Express flights departing and arriving weekly, and we are near Colorado Springs and its many daily American and United flights.”

Chain Link

Austria-based pewag chose Pueblo in 2013 to construct a $7 million manufacturing plant that produces traction snow chains used on large trucks, buses, military vehicles and snow removal equipment. The international company has a North American sales office in Chicago along with the Pueblo plant.

“Our main tire chain market is the western United States starting with the Rocky Mountains, going all the way to the Sierras and up the West Coast to the Cascades,” says Mike Uhrenbacher, president of pewag North America. “We were looking for a location where we could source steel and have access to a good workforce, plus be close to the market we serve. Pueblo met all those parameters.”

Uhrenbacher says the Pueblo community did a great job rolling out the red carpet, with pewag beginning construction on its building in June 2013 and completing it by January 2014. The company also had its 2014 annual international sales meeting in Pueblo, with about 100 Austrian employees flying in for four days of meetings and fun.

“Our entire company has been treated grandly, especially by Rod Slyhoff and his Pueblo chamber staff along with Jack Rink and PEDCO,” he says. “Our company’s owner, Aegyd Pengg, says he is greatly impressed with Pueblo, where he has experienced what true customer service is all about. I would recommend for any company – especially one associated with steel – to seriously consider Pueblo.”

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