With dozens on hand to watch, the ground was officially broken on the AMMO Incorporated facility in Manitowoc’s Industrial Park yesterday afternoon (June 21st).
Local and State dignitaries were on hand, including Assemblymen Paul Tittl and Shae Sortwell, County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer, and several city councilmen as Mayor Justin Nickels, and higher-ups in AMMO Inc spoke to the crowd.
Mayor Nickels touted the many new and expanding factories that are occupying the industrial park and thanked the city council for their support in the project.
“We knew that we have an asset here in the Industrial Park,” Nickels said. “We have a lot that we can offer, and the city council really stepped up to make this a reality here today.”
Fred Wagenhals, the Chairman of the Board and CEO of AMMO Inc, spoke highly of Tom Jagemann, who sold them the ammunition division of Jagemann Stamping last year.
However, he said, “It wasn’t the machinery and equipment we bought from Tom Jagemann, it was the people. You can have the greatest machinery in the world, but you need people to turn it on.”
Also on hand were NASCAR Hall of Famers and AMMO Inc Board Members Richard Childress and Rusty Wallace.
Childress spoke highly of Wagenhals, namely his drive to make AMMO Inc the powerhouse it is today, telling the crowd, “I walked into this facility a while ago for the first time that Jagemann has put out there with Fred, and I thought ‘Wow man, this is a heck of a vision from years ago when he first started talking about it.’”
Wallace also spoke highly of Wagenhals, calling him “a superhero to me.” Wallace and Childress also reminded people of an upcoming NASCAR event taking place nearby.
“I hope you guys can make it to the NASCAR race!” Wallace joked. “It’s gonna be fantastic. The first time ever NASCAR is going to Road America.”
The first phase of construction will consist of a 160,000 square foot facility at the corner of West Custer and 63rd Streets. The company said they plan on expanding to over 200,000 square feet in the future and look to employ roughly 300 people over the next five years.