2 April 2024
STERLING, Kan. (KSNW) — A company that started in Sterling almost 60 years ago plans to expand and hire more people.
KMW Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of loaders, backhoes, and attachments. The company is building a 430,000-square-foot facility on a new 150-acre site near the new highway interchange in Sterling,
According to Governor Laura Kelly’s office, the company is investing $105 million for a new North American headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility. Kelly says the venture will create 251 new jobs.
KMW says the expansion will bring its total employment to approximately 450.
CEO Wayne Buchberger took over KMW during the pandemic in 2020. Since then, the company has been expanding its product lines and customer base.
KMW and its team currently produce loaders, backhoes, and loader attachments in Sterling, Great Bend, and Lyons.
“As a company, we appreciate and value our Mid-American roots and the diligence and steadiness of our workforce. KMW is grateful for, and strives to stay true to, our Midwest Kansas ideals and heritage, helping to propel our continued growth. Our products embody the excellence of the KMW team and inspire pride in our customers.” Buchberger said in a news release. “Those factors made the decision to stay in our hometown a natural fit despite the strong interest in becoming our new headquarters expressed by other locations around the country.”
Agrostroj Pelhřimov, in the Czech Republic, bought KMW in July of 2021.
“With even greater capabilities and using state-of-the-art machinery and automation, we look forward to making the new KMW headquarters a growing showpiece for the state of Kansas,” Lubomir Stoklasek, Agrostroj Group owner, said. “This is an exciting new chapter for our company. We are pleased at the strong possibilities this expansion affords us, allowing KMW to increase production capacity to even higher levels.”
KMW says the 151 acres of land they are building on has room for more growth in the future, not just for KMW but for the entire Agrostroj Group.