STATESVILLE, N.C. — In July 2021, leaders of Doosan Bobcat North America, which includes the Bobcat brand, broke ground on a $70 million expansion of its Statesville manufacturing facility. That expansion is now completed, making the location among the largest Bobcat Co. facilities in the world after it more than doubled in size.
[ ALSO READ: Charlotte region to be home to Doosan Bobcat’s biggest operation ]
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday at the Statesville facility, which is now over 1 million square feet after the 600,000-square-foot addition of new space. The expansion also includes hundreds of new jobs.
The expansion added space for manufacturing, warehousing, and research and development, among other operations. The production of Bobcat’s mini track loader will move to Statesville from the company’s Bismarck, North Dakota, facility. An assembly line for Bobcat’s compact tractor has already been in Statesville since 2019. The facility also produces generators, compressors and light towers.
Mike Ballweber, president of Doosan Bobcat North America, said there were around 400 workers at the Statesville location in early 2021. Bobcat now employs nearly 600 workers there, he said, and plans to have around 750 employees on site by mid-2023 as part of the expansion efforts.
VIDEO: Statesville homeless shelter asks for more federal funding for affordable housing
This browser does not support the video element.