Masaba Inc., a manufacturer of custom-designed bulk material handling systems and processing equipment, announced the grand opening of its new 147,500-sq.-ft. metal fabrication and office facility in Vermillion, S.D.
The company celebrated this occasion with an open house on Oct. 16, 2025, held at the new Harold Higman Fabrication Center. The official name of the facility was a surprise dedication to Masaba Founder and CEO Jerad Higman's father, Harold Higman Jr.
The open house included tours and live demonstrations of Masaba's new metal fabrication equipment; a "make your own keychain" station, where attendees created branded keychains from metal cut and formed by Masaba's equipment; a formal ceremony; and refreshments.
The new building, located adjacent to Masaba's existing 211,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility, includes 120,000 sq. ft. of fabrication space and 27,500 sq. ft. of office and ancillary areas. The expansion represents a major investment in advanced steel fabrication technology, with more than $15 million in new equipment installed to centralize and automate steel processing.
Just a year after breaking ground in April 2024, the new building was complete to the point that production was able to begin there in early May 2025. By September 2025, all plate and structural steel processing had fully transitioned into the space. The offices, conference areas, lunchrooms, workout room and other employee-focused spaces were completed in late September, further enhancing the workplace environment for Masaba's growing team.
"Masaba continues to invest in our team, our partners, the industry, our community and American manufacturing," said Higman. "This facility allows us to streamline production, expand our capacity and strengthen our ability to deliver the quality and reliability our customers expect. It's also a commitment to Vermillion and South Dakota, where we're proud to continue building ‘Masaba Tough' equipment."
The new manufacturing facility not only expands fabrication capacity for Masaba, but also enables the company to repurpose its former steel processing area into additional welding and assembly bays, aligning with Masaba's long-term growth strategy.
The grand opening marked a milestone for Masaba, its team members and the Vermillion community — highlighting a new era of production capacity for the company and its partners.
"Our new facility showcases cutting-edge technology and a commitment to excellence in fabrication that reflects the strength and ingenuity of American industry," Higman said. "This landmark achievement represents years of innovation, investment and dedication by our team to advancing manufacturing in America."
For more information, visit masabainc.com
