DEWITT, Neb.
Vise-Grip had been a source of community pride since William Petersen invented the signature product and opened the plant in 1924.
The DeWitt plant formally reopened in October 2018 with a town celebration.
DeWitt residents and Eagle Grip employees say Malco’s employment practices have reinforced their optimism.
“Malco is so identical , it’s actually scary,” said Badman, a former tooling manager for Vise-Grip.
Those who work at Eagle Grip are not just employees, but also investors.
While the days are long gone when the majority of DeWitt’s workforce could count on a job at the local factory, Malco has vastly exceeded the state’s requirement that the company hire 30 employees within three years of the October 2018 reopening.
“It’s wonderful news they were able to find a new tenant for that facility in DeWitt,” Thompson said.