(Rapid City, SD) — South Dakota’s manufacturing sector is on the rise, according to Governor Larry Rhoden. In a recent letter, Rhoden says South Dakota is one of the few states seeing real growth in manufacturing. He points to companies like RPM and Associates in Rapid City, which builds parts for mining and power plants. Despite workforce challenges, RPM’s Erik Hendrickson says manufacturing is thriving in the area, even if most of the attention usually goes to the east side of the state. Other Rapid City companies, like RPM Innovations and VRC Metal Systems, are also helping put South Dakota on the map by building cutting-edge parts for aerospace and defense, and saving the military millions. Their success is credited to new technology and homegrown talent from schools like the School of Mines and SDSU.
