Minnesota

Enterprise Minnesota kicks off survey tour in Willmar

Published

1 year ago

November 24, 2023

Press Room

WILLMAR

—

Enterprise Minnesota,

a Minnesota-based business consulting firm, hosted the

2023 State of Manufacturing survey

event in Willmar, Tuesday, Nov. 14, as the first stop on a tour across Minnesota.

At each stop on the tour, Enterprise Minnesota presented findings from the survey to crowds of business and community leaders and hosted a discussion. Each of the six presentations was sponsored by a local group, frequently the region’s Initiative foundation.

“It is about the community. Manufacturing has an effect on Main Street. I have seen communities where a manufacturing business moves out and it is a lot like the high school closing. Main Street followed. It is painful. We really strive to get people to understand the power of manufacturing in the community,” Bob Kill, president and CEO of Enterprise Minnesota said.

The survey was conducted by contacting 400 manufacturing executives from across the state. Over sampling was conducted in more rural regions to ensure that they were properly represented in the survey.

This survey has been conducted every year since 2008, though Kill’s experience in the industry dates back further. In that time he has noticed some long-term trends and the growth of manufacturing in the Midwest.

“I think if you go back 25 years, American manufacturing 25 years ago was not known for quality, it is today. We make the highest-quality products in the world right here in the Midwest. Today quality is designed in. That is the number one thing. Along with that the value of manufacturing is more appreciated. Ten years ago my tagline was ‘making things is cool again’ and it really is still today,” Kill said.

Results of the survey show growing concern for the industry after Minnesota legislation passed in 2023. According to the survey, 60% of those surveyed believe that new legislation has made the state less attractive for businesses.

“It is like a funnel. We like to look at federal programs, state programs. Bottom line, you can look at certain communities, Willmar being one, (that) have done a really good job of working as a community. You look at local colleges helping to get people training and education, local programs bringing people in. They are very involved. Programs are wonderful, but the solution is at the community level,” Kill said.

Members in the audience applaud speaker Bob Kill, who serves as CEO and president of Enterprise Minnesota, during a State of Manufacturing event at MinnWest Technology Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in Willmar.

Macy Moore / West Central Tribune

Of the passed legislation, 77% of executives saw the new requirements for providing paid leave for employees, without exception for small businesses, as cause for concern. Other legislation they found concerning included the costs of paid family leave through a new payroll tax, the new requirements for paid sick and safe time and the potential use of cannabis in the workplace.

“This is the first time in 15 years that something the Legislature did had a direct effect. We anticipated that. I wouldn’t have guessed the level of concern, but we knew it was going to be a concern,” Kill said, “And it is not just manufacturing, it is every business. The fact that a small business has the same guidelines as a multibillion-dollar business is really a challenge for these small companies.”

The paid leave law requires employers to provide paid family and medical leave when employees cannot work due to health or caregiving issues. The law covers almost every employee in Minnesota regardless of the business’ size, part-time and full-time, in both the private sector and government employment.

“Because the concern rate, particularly on the paid family leave law, is so high, that is really worrisome for a lot, especially the small manufacturers. Some of the larger companies have the resources to deal with these issues. When you are dealing with a one- or two-person company or even a ten-person company, you don’t have these in-house HR, legal or insurance people. We will see what happens in the next legislative session,” Vice President of Marketing and Organizational Development Lynn Shelton said.

Manufacturing summit 111423 003.jpg — Attendees chat while waiting for a State of Manufacturing event to take place at MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.

These concerns have led more manufacturing executives to believe that 2024 will bring economic change. When asked if they thought 2023 was a year of expansion, a flat economy or recession, 45% said that it would be a flat economy. This decreased when asked the same question about 2024, with only 36% of executives believing it would be a flat economy.

The percentage of executives who thought 2024 would bring an expansion and those who thought it would bring a recession grew. 22% of respondents said that 2024 would be a year of expansion, up six percentage points from 2023. 37% of respondents said that 2024 would be a year of recession, up four percentage points from 2023.

If a recession were to occur, 83% of businesses believe that they would be able to survive it. The majority of those who did not believe they could were small businesses making less than $1 million a year.

Manufacturing summit 111423 004.jpg — Southwest Initiative Foundation president Scott Marquardt speaks during a State of Manufacturing event at the MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.

Employment of qualified workers was found to be the number one concern, with 44% of respondents ranking it the highest. While it is still the highest, it is down nine percentage points from 2022. The study also found that 55% of businesses had no open positions at the company.

For many businesses, automation seems to be a way to reduce the need for finding workers. According to Kill, many view automation as putting robots on the floor, but it is more than that.

“Hanson Silo doesn’t have paper following around their manufacturing process, they have it electronic. We are seeing automation in subtle ways that don’t catch the fancy of being a robot. … I think you have to automate in the applications that fit automation, not everything can be (automated). There are jobs that are going to require a person,” Kill said.

Shelton believes that automation will continue to expand in the workplace to fill the need for employees that many manufacturers are facing.

“I do think that there will be more automation because there has to be because we don’t have enough workers for the foreseeable future. That is good for companies and good for employees inside those companies because they are actually getting to do more interesting work than some of the repetitive work,” Shelton said.

Enterprise Minnesota’s tour of Minnesota will continue through February of 2024, stopping in Alexandria, Mahnomen, North Branch, Owatonna and Duluth for community discussions on recent legislation, business concerns and more, just like the one in Willmar.

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Minnesota

Man shot dead in north Minneapolis alley, police say

Published

4 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Man shot dead in north Minneapolis alley, police say – CBS Minnesota

Watch CBS News

Minneapolis police are investigating after a man was fatally shot in an alley overnight Friday.

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Minnesota

Anthony Edwards Calls Out Team After Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To Knicks

Published

12 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Anthony Edwards Calls Out Team After Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To Knicks

On Thursday night, the Minnesota Timberwovles hosted Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks at the Target Center.

There was a lot of emotion due to the fact that Towns made his return for the first time as a member of another team.

The Timberwovles lost by a score of 133-107.

Via StatMuse: “Karl-Anthony Towns tonight:

32 PTS
20 REB
6 AST
10-12 FG
5-5 3P
+31

Showed out in his return to Minnesota.”

Karl-Anthony Towns tonight:
32 PTS
20 REB
6 AST
10-12 FG
5-5 3P
+31
Showed out in his return to Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/BZBZ3Wmuf6
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 20, 2024
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After the tough loss, Anthony Edwards called out his team when he met with the media (h/t Dane Moore of Blue Wire).

Edwards: “We don’t have s**t on offense. We don’t have no identity. We know I’m gonna shoot a bunch of shots, we know Ju gonna shoot a bunch of shots and that’s all we know. We don’t really know anything else. It’s not on the coaches at all. It’s on us. We’re out there playing.”

Anthony Edwards on the Wolves’ offensive identity
“We don’t have shit on offense. We don’t have no identity. We know I’m gonna shoot a bunch of shots, we know Ju gonna shoot a bunch of shots, and that’s all we know.” https://t.co/Lh3W8sFRtL pic.twitter.com/HR6udkJlr7
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) December 20, 2024

Edwards finished the loss with 17 points, five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block while shooting 7/16 from the field and 3/7 from the three-point range in 34 minutes of playing time.

The Timberwolves dropped to 14-12 in 26 games, which has them as the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

They are still 6-4 over their last ten.

Anthony Edwards asked about fixing the offense: “They not going to like what I say, so I’m just going to keep it to myself.”
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 20, 2024

Following New York, the Timberwolves will play their next game when they host Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday evening.

Since trading Towns over the offseason, they have yet to look like a team that is coming off a 2024 Western Conference finals appearance.

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Minnesota

MNUFC Releases 2025 Schedule | Minnesota United FC

Published

20 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

MNUFC Releases 2025 Schedule | Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United and Major League Soccer announced today the full schedule for the 2025 MLS Regular Season.

MNUFC kicks off its ninth season in MLS on the road against LAFC at BMO Stadium on Saturday, February 22 before coming home to host Eastern Conference opponent CF Montréal on March 1 for the 2025 home opener at Allianz Field.

Additional key matchups in the 2025 schedule include:

LA Galaxy: MNUFC hosts the 2024 MLS Cup Champions on Saturday, March 22 at Allianz Field and will face the Galaxy on Decision Day, October 18 on the road. The Loons faced the LA Galaxy in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals at Dignity Health Sports Park, where the Galaxy defeated MNUFC to advance to the Western Conference Final and MLS Cup.
Inter Miami CF: The Loons will host the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners, Inter Miami CF, for the first time in club history on Saturday, May 10 at Allianz Field. MNUFC last played Miami in 2022 on the road.
San Diego FC: Minnesota United will welcome new Western Conference opponent San Diego FC to Allianz Field on Saturday, June 14. The Loons will travel to Snapdragon Stadium to face the expansion side on September 13.
Eastern Conference: In addition to CF Montréal and Inter Miami CF, MNUFC will face New York City FC, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire FC.

Minnesota United will have four nationally televised games in 2025 featuring Western Conference opponents LAFC for the 2024 MLS season opener on February 22 (FOX), Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, March 15 (FS1), FC Dallas on Fourth of July (FS1) and Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, August 16 (FS1). Additionally, MNUFC will have two MLS Season Pass Game of the Week matches in 2025 featuring FC Dallas on Sunday, April 20 at Allianz Field, and Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday, June 1 at Lumen Field.

MNUFC will release the 2025 Theme Nights schedule at a later date.

Single-game tickets for all MLS home games on the 2025 schedule will go on sale in early February. As usual, MNUFC insiders will receive first access to single-game tickets through a series of exclusive presales, beginning with Itasca Members, followed by Season Ticket Members, then members of The Preserve, and finally subscribers to the MNUFC newsletter. Limited quantities of single-game tickets will be held for each of those windows throughout the presale process.

Fans who want to give themselves the best shot at securing single-game tickets for the season’s most popular games can join The Preserve. For $25 per seat, Preserve membership holds the fan’s spot in line for season tickets, while unlocking early access to tickets presales, including for MNUFC home games, MLS Cup Playoffs, US National Team Games, and other marquee events at Allianz Field.

Additionally, fans can sign up for the MNUFC newsletter to receive presale access following members of The Preserve.

In the meantime, fans can get a jump on the action with one of two partial plans that are currently available. Starting at $145, the First Five Package includes a ticket for the Loons first five home games of the season, along with increased access for season tickets in 2026. Meanwhile, the Holiday Hat Pack includes a ticket to MNUFC’s first two home matches, plus a limited-edition knit hat, all starting at just $86.

Other ticketing opportunities include discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more, as well as single-game rentals of Allianz Field premium spaces, both of which will go on sale in January. Fans interested in purchasing group or premium tickets should place a refundable deposit today to guarantee their spot in the annual Group and Premium Selection processes, when most of the season’s most popular games are sold out. Note that group tickets will not be available for the May 10 match vs. Inter Miami.

Leagues Cup 2025, the official Concacaf tournament between LIGA MX and Major League Soccer, will be played July 29 to August 31, 2025 in the United States and Canada. A new format will be announced at a later date, along with the schedule and additional information. Concacaf will continue to award three qualification berths to the Concacaf Champions Cup to the Leagues Cup champion and second and third-place finishers.

Austin FC will host the 2025 MLS All-Star Game at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, July 23 (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). The MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22. Additional details on the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T and the opponent for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game will be announced at a later date.

The MLS regular season concludes with Decision Day 2025 on Saturday, October 18. The slate, which features Eastern Conference matches kicking off at 5 p.m. CT and Western Conference matches beginning at 8 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, decides who is in and who is out in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. Additionally, New York City FC will host Seattle Sounders in an interconference match at 5 p.m. CT on the final matchday of the season.

MLS Pause for FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup

MLS stadiums across the United States and Canada will be featured prominently with 14 MLS venues serving as hosts to the first-ever 32-team FIFA Club World Cup and the 2025 Gold Cup, Concacaf’s flagship men’s national team tournament. MLS will pause regular season play from June 15-24 for the FIFA Club World Cup, an event featuring Inter Miami CF and Seattle Sounders FC, and the Concacaf Gold Cup.

With the addition of San Diego FC as the league’s 30th club, the MLS schedule format will include every MLS team competing in 34 regular season games, featuring 17 at home and 17 on the road. Clubs will play conference opponents twice (28 games), once at home and once away. Each club will play six different cross-conference opponents.

Every Match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

MLS action returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in 2025 with all 510 games available in one dedicated destination with no blackouts in more than 100 countries and regions around the world. New for this upcoming season, MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game on Sunday evenings with enhanced production and dedicated studio programming. More details will be shared at a later date.

The popular whip around studio show, MLS 360, provides live look-ins from every active match alongside expert analysis in English and Spanish. Pregame and postgame studio shows, MLS Countdown and MLS Wrap Up in English and MLS La Previa and MLS El Resumen in Spanish, return with full preview and postgame analysis and insights across all matchday action.

MLS Season Pass will also continue to feature a wide array of on-demand content and in-depth special features spanning all 30 MLS clubs.

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