City looking ahead to better year in 2021

February 25, 2021

NEW ULM — The last year was like no other, but in New Ulm there is plenty to be optimistic about in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic brought many activities to a halt, but New Ulm is in a unique development position going into this new year. “There is still a lot of development that will happen in 2021,” City Manager Chris Dalton said. The biggest change coming to New Ulm in the next year is the expansion and improvement to the recreation center. This project includes an updated waterpark, gymnastics center, wellness center and indoor playground. This project began in 2020 and ...

2020 was not the year NUMC had planned

February 25, 2021

In a year dominated by a viral pandemic, New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) had no choice but adapt to rapid change in a short amount of time. A year ago, NUMC was celebrating the addition of the Springfield and Lamberton clinics to the Allina system along with NUMC. Mayo Clinic operated the clinic through 2019 but announced they were pulling out. It was suggested Allina Health take over these facilities. NUMC Director Toby Freier said it was a quick turnaround. Allina had around 90 days to prepare. March 2020, Allina officially reopened the Springfield and Lamberton Clinics. The ...

Windings is all under one roof

February 25, 2021

NEW ULM — As of late 2020, Windings had officially consolidated all New Ulm locations at a single building on Somsen Street. Windings have over 50 years of history in New Ulm and until recently the company was spread across multiple buildings. Vice President of Operations Rudolf Stanglmaier said they had facilities on Valley Street, Front Street and third location. In 2019, the company started implementing plans to move into the former Elkay building on Somsen Street and by October 2020 the move was complete. There is a satellite operation in Eden Prairie for sales and marketing. ...

Minnesota Valley Testing Labs stays busy during COVID-19 pandemic

February 25, 2021

NEW ULM — 2020 was the “Year of COVID-19” for many businesses, but Minnesota Valley Testing Labs in New Ulm found itself as busy as ever. Owner and CEO Tom Berg said MVTL is considered an essential business, with its involvement in the food industry, environmental testing and agriculture. “So at the end of the year we were pretty much the same as the previous year in revenue and activities,” Berg said. “We were fortunate to have no need for layoffs,” said Berg. The company is very pro-active when it comes to masks and other preventive measures, said Berg. The staff ...

3M New Ulm ramps up production to meet demand

February 25, 2021

NEW ULM — In anticipation of a busy spring construction season, the 3M Company in New Ulm is ramping up with continuous improvement projects to increase manufacturing productivity. In fact, a number of products made at the New Ulm plant are seeing growth. “We continue to focus on how to best serve our customers with high-quality products delivered on-time and in the quantities needed,” said 3M Electrical Markets Division Plant Manager Andrew Supina. “With competitors in all of the markets we serve, retaining existing customers and growing our business with new customers is ...

DLC spreads out in new shop

February 25, 2021

NEW ULM — Brent Donner gets excited when he talks about how his business moved into a brand new shop in an industrial park, at 24 Somsen Street, that is four times the size of its prior home. On top of that, the company made the move to the 36,000 square foot building right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move to the new shop took two years and plenty of planning. In 2008, Donner and David Dewald began a business in a 9,800 square foot shop behind Kwik Trip on the south end of New Ulm. While the U.S. steel market is forecast to remain undersupply into the new year, ...