On July 19, severe weather, which included a tornado, hit Pella, Iowa, including the Vermeer Corporation around 4 p.m. It occurred when team members were working and also for over 400 dealers and customers who were onsite for a customer conference.
No one was killed in the storm, according to media reports.
“The amount of progress we have already made is astounding,” according to information recently posted on the company’s website. “Thanks to the quick work of our team members and cleanup crews, we were able to return to production in many of our facilities today.
“We have two goals moving forward. First, recover safely and recover completely. This means we return to full production as soon as possible. Second, we want to get our team members back to work quickly. Today was another major step toward achieving that goal.
“We know there may be some individuals and business partners who may need to access the Vermeer campus. Please know that most of Vermeer Road is still closed. Please check with your point of contact at Vermeer before visiting for detailed instructions.”
Upon being notified of severe weather on July 19, Vermeer worked to quickly activate its emergency response system. The emergency alarms in all buildings sounded and team members, dealers and customers were directed to tornado shelters in all facilities on the Vermeer campus.
“Our efforts, along with emergency services, have been focused on ensuring those on our property during the weather event were safe and cared for,” the company stated. “Injuries were treated both here and at Pella Regional Health Center. It is our understanding that those treated have been released.
The process to account for our more than 2,700 Pella-based team members is underway. All dealers and customers visiting have been accounted for.
There is significant structural damage and personal property damage across the Vermeer campus. An initial assessment follows:
Our corporate office, Plant 1, Plant 2, Plant 3, Parts Distribution Center, Global Pavilion, Lely and Yellow Iron Academy Learning Center appear to have zero to minor damage.
Plant 4, Plant 7 and our Advanced Systems/Testing facility will need a structural assessment before we can determine the impact of the damage and the ability to continue operations.
Plant 5 and Plant 6 both have significant structural damage that we believe, at this time, will limit our ability to continue operations.
Our waste management facility is a complete loss.
