Glacial Lakes doubles capacity, staff at new facility

WATERTOWN, S.D.—Glacial Lakes Rubber & Plastics L.L.C. has moved into a new building.

The firm, which started in 2014, now occupies a 33,000-sq.-ft. facility in Watertown, more than tripling the size of its previous plant.

Employment at the site has doubled to nearly 30 since last summer.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but Robb Peterson, Glacial Lakes owner and CEO, said the investment was in the seven-figure range and doubled the firm's capacity for soling presses to 13.

The company also operates two extrusion lines—with a third planned in about a month or so—and is looking to add injection molding capabilities in the near future.

Peterson said that employment also is likely to increase as the company continues to chase new business. Glacial Lakes has secured enough surrounding land to double the size of the building if the need arises.

The firm celebrated its plant opening on July 25 with the full South Dakota Congressional delegation at a ribbon-cutting ceremony—including Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.; Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; and Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D. Vibram USA CEO Mike Gionfriddo also attended.

Glacial Lakes secured the building last summer and spent the next few months refurbishing it. The company added a full state-of-the-art materials laboratory, giving it the capability to conduct material analysis, material rheology and full spectrum measurements on parts.

It also enhanced its IT technology capabilities by adding the infrastructure for its own servers, establishing its own domain and enhancing its material requirement planning software.

“Since we moved in, we've really stepped up our game,” Peterson said. “We did a lot of work up front because we knew where we wanted to go with it all. It's gone really smoothly. I've been very happy with the move.”

Most of the firm's growth comes from its Vibram USA business, providing the shoe manufacturer a second source of rubber boot soles for both commercial and military applications. However, Peterson said the company is growing in other areas, namely automotive, agriculture and heavy off-road industrial applications.

He added that the firm produces other rubber products for all three industries, including vehicle sound dampening items, bumpers, gaskets, large cattle products for agriculture and heavy industry parts for semi trucks.

Recently, the company added the capability to over-mold rubber parts with plastic compounds, such as liquid diaphragms.

“We've got a lot of industry veterans here,” Peterson said. “We understand the market and have great partners in Vibram USA that are really helping us spur this along and allow us the ability to go out and get other customers in other industries as well. It's going very well.”

Glacial Lakes started in 2014 in the wake of Minnesota Rubber & Plastics' decision to phase out its Watertown manufacturing facility and eventually shuttering it at the end of 2014, ending a 45-year run.

The move left 180 unemployed.

Vibram USA is one of the largest suppliers of footwear soling to the U.S. Department of Defense. Glacial Lakes manufactures soling for high performance athletic shoes and mountain combat boots for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Special Operations Forces.