The Village of Snyder has more manufacturing jobs than residents. Locals claim the population more than doubles on any given weekday when morning shifts start. “We have about 300 people at 11:00 p.m. and about 750 by 11:00 a.m.,” said Jeff Hunke, owner of Hunke Manufacturing, which makes water well servicing equipment. Hunke Manufacturing is less than a mile from three other major manufacturers in Snyder: Smeal, Danko Emergency Equipment, and Wonder Meats.
Each October, during Manufacturing Month, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) honors the manufacturing industry and celebrates its success. Aside from agriculture, manufacturing is Nebraska’s largest industry. The bustle of manufacturing activity in Snyder is a great example of Nebraska’s strength as a home to builders, makers, and creators. This year, manufacturing employment in Nebraska has reached its highest point since 2001. In the second quarter of 2024, Nebraska’s annualized manufacturing GDP reached $21.6 billion—having grown 57% over the past five years.
Smeal: Creating Opportunities to Climb the Ladder
Sixty years ago, Smeal (now a brand of Spartan Emergency Response, part of REV Group) built its first aerial fire truck, with a 52-foot ladder, for the Snyder Rural Fire District. The company now makes an aerial apparatus that can reach more than twice as high. “We produce 105-foot to 125-foot steel ladders and platforms,” explained Kevin Strudthoff, general manager of the Smeal facility in Snyder. “That is some of the longest reach you’ll see. On average, we produce about 130-140 trucks per year.”
Smeal employs more than 250 people at their facility in Snyder. The company makes pumper and aerial fire trucks used throughout the U.S.—including by the U.S. military. It sells them to many local volunteer fire departments in Nebraska and to customers as far away as Chile and Bermuda.
To grow its manufacturing workforce, Smeal works with area schools, such as Scribner-Snyder, Howells-Dodge, and West Point-Beemer. “We have three interns coming in this year from high schools; we try to get one from each of the local schools,” said Strudthoff. The company participates in the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Program as part of its strategy to connect students with employment opportunities.
Smeal also coordinates with local community colleges to recruit workers such as welders, painters, and plumbing and electrical assemblers. “We want to offer opportunities to students who enjoy working with their hands so that they can learn, grow, and stay in Nebraska,” said Strudthoff. “Here, you have 19-year-old kids who are pulling in $50,000 a year,” he said. “They have no debt because they came straight from high school or spent only a year or two in community college. It’s a great opportunity from them to get started and establish themselves.”
Danko: 50 Years of Success in Snyder
Danko Emergency Equipment, less than a mile east of Smeal, also produces firefighting vehicles. The family-owned business designs and builds pumpers, pumper tankers, and wildland trucks for off-road and rural firefighting. They’ve sent vehicles to all regions of the U.S. and have even delivered one to Iceland. Among their current orders, Danko is making a wildland truck with 40-inch wheels for Scribner Volunteer Fire Department—just a ten-minute drive from their facility.
Danko is celebrating its 50th year in business in 2024 and intends to expand. The company employs over 60 people between its traveling sales team, factory, and offices in downtown Snyder. “When we broke ground on this location back in 2002, we were saying, ‘Man! How are we ever going to fill this 35,000-square-foot building?’ said Mark Kreikemeier, president of Danko. “Now we’re over 40,000 square feet, and the walls are already expanding. We own the property next to us, and our plan is to put up another building on that side that will be for delivery and service.”
Hunke: Overflowing with Orders
Hunke Manufacturing grew out of Smeal as well and is located across the street from it. The business employs about 30 people. It produces water well servicing equipment used by ground well service companies and municipalities throughout the U.S.
“Every town has wells,” said owner Jeff Hunke. “We build the pump hoist, which is primarily used in the ground well service sector,” he explained. “We don’t build the rig that drills the hole. Our rigs come in after the hole is dug and set the point for the well. I have one that’s about ready to go to Alaska, one to Maryland, one to Utah.”
Nebraska has been the right place, with the right people, for Hunke to grow its business. “For one, we’re centrally located,” explained Hunke. “In the last year I’ve driven to Portland (Oregon) and to South Carolina and to Florida.” Being able to reach both coasts within a two-day drive is valuable for a business delivering products in demand in every part of the country.
“The work ethic is good,” he added. “The employees we have are good. Gerald Kassmeier has been here for 63 years. My main assistant has been here over 50 years. Virgil, my dad, has been here over 60 years.”
While Hunke Manufacturing has seasoned workers with decades of longevity, it’s also integrating new talent into its operations. “I’ll hire a kid straight out of high school and train them. We’re teaching them a highly in-demand skill,” said Hunke. With surging demand for their products, the business continues to fill the positions necessary to complete orders. “My workboard is right there on the wall,” he motioned to the filing shelf on the wall overflowing with printed orders. “It’s never been so full!”
Wonder Meats: Celebrating 1st Anniversary, Eyeing Expansion
“Snyder is hopping!” exclaimed Marla Prenzlow, who manages the Wonder Meats plant in town. It’s the newest manufacturer in Snyder. The meat-processing facility opened in the fall of 2023 and has thrived in its first year.
Based in New Jersey, Wonder Meats has six manufacturing locations. Five are on the East Coast, with the Snyder location being the first in the Midwest. The plant produces Philly-steak beef and chicken products, which it wholesales.
Wonder Meats was intentionally looking for a facility in Nebraska because of the state’s central location and logistical advantages. When the meat-processing facility became available in 2023, the business didn’t hesitate to buy it.
Location hasn’t been the only advantage, though. Argentina Espinoza and Magdiel Garcia, Jr., managers at the Snyder plant, moved to Nebraska from Pennsylvania to oversee the start of operations. They said Nebraska has a lot to offer, including a great workforce and welcoming culture. “The people are so nice here,” Garcia said.
Wonder Meats has grown its workforce as employees have shared their great on-the-job experiences with family and friends. In particular, the manufacturer has had success attracting Latinos to join its team. “[Initially,] I didn’t know how many Hispanics live around here. I thought there weren’t a lot,” said Espinoza, whose family is originally from Nicaragua. She soon learned otherwise after going to Spanish-speaking mass and being amazed at the large number of Latino families in attendance. She explained that the vibrant Latino community in the area is very well-connected and has spread the word quickly about Wonder Meats’ welcoming workplace. This has helped the company grow to 45 people. It plans to expand soon by adding to the current building.
As it grows, Wonder Meats is creating opportunities for other Nebraska businesses by developing a more localized supply chain. “We’ve worked with small Nebraska manufacturers when we’ve needed to build our conveyors or things that we’ve recently put in,” said Prenzlow. The company also buys meat from the JBS beef plant in Omaha, seasoning from International Spice in Fremont, and boxes from Liberty Packaging in Omaha. Additionally, they make use of refrigerated warehouses at Nor-Am Cold Storage in Schuyler.
Prenzlow comes from a family with deep roots in the food manufacturing industry in Nebraska. Her father-in-law and grandfather-in-law originally started the processing facility in Snyder. “It was a small, custom-processing plant: butcher, slaughter, cut-up, steaks, sausages, bacon, ham—the whole little butcher shop,” she explained. “My husband’s grandfather started that business out on the farm, then they built the plant. His dad went in, then my husband joined, his brother joined, and they held the business for over 100 years.” The combination of a rich heritage and infusion of new talent have been the right ingredients for Wonder Meats’ rapid success.
Nebraska Manufacturing: Abundant Career Opportunities Available
Roughly 1 in 10 Nebraskans work in manufacturing. These great-paying jobs have an average annual compensation of $75,000 (as of 2021). As the state’s manufacturing industry thrives, another generation is being recruited into the workforce. To search available opportunities, visit the State of Nebraska’s job site at NEworks.nebraska.gov.