Manufacturing is an Important Part of the Roseville Economy

Manufacturing represents 12% of Minnesota’s gross domestic product, with more than 8,625 firms across the state. At the local level, there are 650 manufacturing companies in Ramsey County, employing 29,000 residents and contributing $5.5 billion to the economy.

Manufacturing is also a high-paying sector for Ramsey County, with a local salary of $95,315 annually. It is the fourth-largest sector and the second-largest employing sector in Minnesota.

“We see a lot of manufacturing coming to our area,” says Janice Gundlach, Community Development Director at the Roseville Economic Development Authority (REDA). “Companies need to hire people across all education and experience levels, and Roseville has both the workforce and location they need.”

Manufacturing comes in different sizes. In some cases, manufacturing firms grow from passion projects and family businesses. In other cases, they are major enterprises found across the globe. Here are a few local manufacturing firms in Roseville that make unique products. 

Artistic Finishes, Inc.

Founded in 1985, Artistic Finishes, Inc., produces expertly blended wood and vinyl moldings and flooring accessories. The company received the 2020 Manufacturer of the Year Award from the Manufacturers’ Alliance in the small company category.

Artistic Finishes is proud to invest in its employees by sending them to educational seminars and conferences while building up the Roseville community. This big-picture view makes Artistic Finishes a leader across Roseville and a valued employer. 

Bimbo Bakeries

Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) is the largest commercial baking company in the United States, and its Roseville facility produces 800,000 to 1 million packages of bread and buns each week. Grocery shoppers who choose Sara Lee products, Nature’s Harvest, and Lender’s Bagels – amongst other known brands – are buying from Bimbo.

Roseville’s Bimbo facility is part of Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican company and the world’s largest baking manufacturer, with locations in 35 countries. Locally, Bimbo employs 160 people in Roseville, with an average tenure of 12 years. People tend to stick around, which shows that Bimbo is a quality employer in the area. 

Colder Products Company

Colder Products Company (CPC) manufactures quick-disconnect couplings, fittings, and connectors for the life sciences, biopharma, industrial, and chemical-handling markets. It had grown out of its St. Paul operations after 40 years in the community and expanded to a larger space in Roseville in 2020. The new 132,000-square-foot headquarters will enable CPC to expand its employee base and serve customers worldwide.

CPC had been looking for a space to expand since 2017 and eventually found Roseville. The City of Roseville was a valuable partner in the redevelopment of a brownfield site into a brand-new facility for its 600 team members. 

Computype

Computype is a family-owned company that specializes in identification and tracking systems. It started as a computer typesetting service in 1966 and has continued to evolve alongside technology. As the needs of Computype’s customers changed, so did the firm.

Computype expanded its facility in 2021 by acquiring the adjacent space to its current property. This ensured there was enough room for employees to work comfortably while also providing space for customers to test equipment and create applications. The move was an investment in its employees and the community as a whole. 

HED Cycling Products

HED Cycling Products has produced elite, high-performance bicycle wheels for more than 40 years. It has a diverse product offering that caters to competitive road cycling athletes, gravel racers, and recreational riders alike. The company was founded in 1983 after Anne Hed completed an Ironman competition in Hawaii. She opened the business with her late husband, Steve, who worked for the bicycle shop in St. Paul that had sponsored her.

Hed continues to follow her passions and turn them into products. She recently pivoted to the med-tech space and developed B Rest, a curved carbon-fiber panel designed to make mammograms more comfortable. She was at a doctor’s appointment and realized how the materials used in medical equipment were similar to those of her bicycle wheels.

Innovation and desire to make the world better drive Hed while creating opportunities for her employees and Roseville as a whole. 

Old Dutch Foods 

For more than 90 years, Old Dutch Foods has produced high-quality food products for customers in the Midwest. Its Roseville facility is known for manufacturing one-of-a-kind boxed potato chips in a variety of signature flavors.

The Old Dutch Roseville production facility employs more than 300 people, including many who have been with the company for generations. The firm moved to Roseville in 1968 because of its central location in the metropolitan area and its easy access to the freeway.

Manufacturing is Growing in Roseville

Roseville is home to multiple manufacturing firms with a legacy in the region. Bimbo and HED are great examples of companies that have thrived here for decades. However, there’s also room for more. The Twin Lakes Technology Center will offer a 155,000-square-foot innovation hub for the city, with room for manufacturing businesses. The greatest product since sliced Bimbo bread might soon be manufactured in Roseville.

Watch Roseville grow – and get involved! Join us at Roseville Business Connect on Wednesday, October 28, to meet other local business leaders, or follow us online for additional economic development updates. See why people and businesses continue to choose this community.