Summit Truck Bodies recently celebrated the opening of its new 220,000-square-foot facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Wathena headquarters. The $50 million investment expands Summit’s production capacity, creates room for continued growth and is expected to create 80 additional jobs.
The event, themed “Reaching New Heights,” brought together employees, community leaders, state and local officials, business partners and others who helped make the expansion possible. Guests heard remarks from Summit Truck Bodies CEO Kris Eidsness; Wathena Mayor John Hontz; Adrienne Nebling, Doniphan County economic development director; Deputy Secretary Joshua Jefferson of the Kansas Department of Commerce, speaking on behalf of Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland; and Summit Truck Bodies Plant Manager Chris Walter. Following the ceremony, attendees gathered for lunch and guided tours of the new facility.
The expansion marks a major milestone for Summit Truck Bodies, which was founded in Wathena in 2003. The new facility includes 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 20,000 square feet of office space. It connects to the company’s existing 132,000-square-foot facility, bringing Summit’s combined manufacturing and office footprint to about 352,000 square feet.
Summit is continuing to transition operations into the new production and office areas while updating equipment and reconfiguring the existing building to support ongoing work.
The additional capacity will help Summit increase production of service and lube truck bodies, hydraulic cranes, tool systems and Advanced Safety Electronics controls for customers across North America. The expansion also creates space to grow the company’s sales team and strengthen parts and service support in the Midwest and beyond.
“This 220,000-square-foot expansion proves that Summit Truck Bodies is all-in on new growth, doubling production capacity, supporting [their] workforce, reducing lead times and enhancing the overall customer experience,” Jefferson said. “Summit Truck Bodies has proven that they’re growing, innovating, adapting, investing and elevating the work, actively working to raise the bar.”
According to an economic impact analysis shared at the event, the expansion is expected to generate more than $21 million in economic activity over its first 10 years, benefiting local businesses and the surrounding community.
“When we talk about this $50 million investment, we’re really talking about much more than a new facility,” Nebling said. “We’re talking about jobs, people, housing, local businesses and the opportunity for continued growth.”
“Being from Wathena, I’m excited for this addition to our town and for the future opportunities it represents to the entire area,” Walter said. “This area has a lot of talented folks that are looking to better themselves and their families. You just have to provide them with the opportunities to succeed, and they will find you.”
Walter also recognized the state and local partners who supported the project, the contractors and craftspeople who completed the expansion safely, Summit’s business partners, and the employees whose work made the company’s continued growth possible. He highlighted local trade schools as an important resource for connecting young people with careers that allow them to build with both their hands and their minds.
Together, the new and reconfigured facilities are designed to support greater manufacturing efficiency, additional capacity and Summit’s long-term commitment to building products in Wathena.
Summit Truck Bodies is a member of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. Wathena is in Doniphan County, which is in St. Joseph’s metropolitan statistical area.