Bobcat Co., Bismark, N.D., announced a $9.5 million expansion, including building a 100,000-sq.-ft. “manufacturing support center” at the nearby Northern Plains Commerce Centre. The new facility will enable components to be subassembled prior to being sent to the current Bismarck plant for final assembly. The move should open up space at the current factory for additional fabrication and assembly.

The facility also will include a “just-in-time” parts control area to support the Bismarck plant, with the work tied together with a state-of-the-art routing and information management system, communicating directly with the factory's assembly lines.

Mike Ryan, Bobcat president and CEO, said that the expansion is another step toward establishing a “global footprint” for Bobcat, joining key production, sales and support facilities in Shanghai and Wuxi, China; Brussels (Lot), Belgium; Mulheim, Germany; Dobris, Czech Republic; Pont Chateau, France; Chicago; Litchfield and Grove City, Minn.; as well as existing North Dakota locations.