STERLING, Kan. – KMW Ltd, a leading manufacturer of loaders, backhoes and attachments, announced on Tuesday that they are growing.
According to a company press release, plans to build a new facility in Sterling, Kansas, are underway.
The new construction will include more than 430,000 square feet under roof, located on a new 150-acre site near the new highway interchange in Sterling. This expansion will grow KMW to employ approximately 450 people when fully completed.
Beginning in 1965 as Ark Manufacturing Co., KMW originally produced trailers for hauling wipers and soil compactors. Small lawn and garden loaders were added in 1968, an early indication of what the future KMW would become. Over the years, KMW made the shift to focus more on its lines of loaders and backhoes as the company grew.
Under the leadership of current CEO Wayne Buchberger, who took over KMW during the pandemic in 2020, there has been a strategic acceleration of our growth. In this period KMW has been expanding its product lines and its customer base. KMW and its team currently produce loader models ranging from 45 to 380 hp, a solid line of backhoes and multiple loader attachments at three locations. Agrostroj Pelhřimov’s purchase of KMW in July 2021 was instrumental with its strong support for KMW’s growth and team here in the US. This expansion would not have been possible without your support.
For over 50 years, KMW has designed, manufactured and assembled our products in the USA. “As a company, we appreciate and value our American roots and the diligence and tenacity of our workforce. KMW is grateful and strives to stay true to our Midwest Kansas ideals and heritage by helping- us to drive our continued growth. Our products embody the excellence of the KMW team and inspire pride in our customers.” says CEO Wayne Buchberger, adding “These factors made the decision to stay in our hometown a natural fit despite strong interest in becoming our new headquarters expressed from other locations around the country “.
The size of the land acquisition ensures room for growth not only of KMW but of the entire Agrostroj group in the future. In addition to current KMW products, we will continue to expand our manufacturing and sales activities for both our existing and new OEM partners, serving their needs in the North American market for many years to come. “With even greater capacities and using state-of-the-art machinery and automation, we hope to make KMW’s new headquarters a growing showpiece for the state of Kansas,” says Agrostroj Group owner Lubomir Stoklasek. This is an exciting new chapter for our company. We are pleased with the great possibilities this expansion offers us, allowing KMW to increase production capacity to even higher levels.
