FOND DU LAC, WI (WHBL/KFIZ) - One of Fond du Lac County’s largest employers has begun its latest improvements.
Ground was broken Wednesday for Mercury Marine’s new E-D-P coating facility. Coating is a necessity for marine engines and parts the company makes.
Mercury President John Pfeifer says the new facility will replace the current workspace that is more than 30 years old. "It will improve overall flexibility, and it’s going to improve the work environment dramatically for our employees," says Pfeifer. "So it’s going to be a win-win for everyone involved."
This latest project will bring the total cost of investment to the facility to 580-million since 2009. That was the year when Mercury decided it would keep its headquarters in Fond du Lac and not move to Oklahoma.
Since then, Pfeifer says the company has been able to weather the various changes in the business they are in. "The marine industry can be very cyclical with economic cycles, but over time we’ve been very successful here because we have a great partnership with the community, and we’ve got great employees; and so that’s why we continue to invest right here in this main campus that we’ve got."
Pfiefer says the new facility will help Mercury create jobs in the future. The company will begin using the facility starting in December of 2016.