ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Box Elder's VRC Metal Systems continues to add jobs in former school Story by Tanya Manus, Rapid City Journal // Photos by Andy Greenman
deal. The property is about 10 acres total so we VRC Metal Systems more than tripled the size have room to expand beyond our current building, of its facility and added 20 jobs since relocating so we have plans for additional facilities in the to Box Elder a year ago. future.” VRC is an Ascent Innovation success story, As VRC’s facility expanded, so did its work force. spending five years in the business incubator In the past year, VRC has grown from about 45 to center — plus renting additional space in Rapid 65 employees and has plans to add more. City — before moving to the former Vandenberg “We’re still hiring. We have about four positions Elementary School near Ellsworth Air Force Base. open right now,” Hrabe said. “We are continuing to VRC previously occupied 16,000 square feet of expand. We expect about a year space at its two sites. Buying and from now we will be at over 100 putting $6 million in renovations employees.” into the former school allowed VRC provides equipment VRC to expand to 55,000 square feet. Purchasing an existing and services for cold spray building instead of constructing technology – essentially cold welding – and other coatings a new one was a money-saving that, among other uses, are option that meant VRC could effective for airplane parts. Its grow without using as much Rob Hrabe, CEO of VRC Metal capital, CEO Rob Hrabe said. new location near Ellsworth Air Force Base will be a boon for the company. In May, “The building is suitable for everything we’re Sen. Mike Rounds announced Ellsworth Air Force doing right now and we have room to expand,” Base will be the preferred site for the new B-21 Hrabe said. “We build equipment, we design equipment and we do process development for bomber. At least 100 of the B-21 planes, designed by Northrop Grumman, are being built. customers. … Having the additional space is a big
"We expect about a year from now we will be at over 100 employees.”
8
E L E VAT E R A P I D C IT Y JULY 2020
