F&C Top Projects: Massman Companies

Wednesday, May 21st, 2025

Massman Companies was selected as one of Finance & Commerce’s Top Projects of 2024, recognizing Minnesota’s top design and construction projects for the year.

An independent panel of judges selected 52 honorees for the annual program. Projects are judged on their degree of difficulty, creativity in design, innovative construction techniques, cooperation among contractors and management, and sustainability efforts. Judges noted the construction industry continued to experience challenges in 2024, from ongoing labor shortages to supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty requiring flexibility and commitment to get projects successfully completed.

Massman Companies
2800 Nevada St SW, Alexandria, MN 56308

Massman Companies represents a strategic collection of industry-leading manufacturers of packaging equipment, with the unique capability to combine a wide variety of packaging and end-of-line technologies for total turn-key solutions. A leader in the design and manufacturing of precision automation machinery, Massman Companies has been providing innovative packaging systems for over 40 years. From liquid filling to case packing to palletizing, Massman has solutions for a wide range of automation needs.

To support company growth, Massman purchased an 80-acre site in Alexandria, Minnesota to expand their operations. The 73,000 sq. ft. facility consists of manufacturing, office, shipping/receiving, and associated support spaces with a wetland area serving as a focal point of the facility design. The area surrounding the wetland includes trails and carefully preserved natural areas that serve as a resource for Massman and the broader Alexandria community.

The new facility is designed for maximum flexibility, with 75 ft. structural bay sizes vs. the standard 58 ft., and a building pad ready for two potential phases of expansion. The glass walls in the interior provide opportunities for connection between employees in manufacturing, office, shipping/receiving, and associated support spaces.

Brand colors are tastefully applied and reflections of nature can be seen in the use of natural materials like wood, creating a warm and welcoming space. Collaborative workspaces, conference rooms named after local lakes, glass windows between the office and manufacturing spaces to promote a sense of community and openness. In addition, 18-foot windows in both the office and shop floor provide ample natural light and outdoor patio spaces create options for team meetings, events, and lunches.

Massman Companies’ new facility honors the community by maintaining the existing conditions of its natural setting as much as possible. The company’s commitment to developing the site in a way that protects wetlands and wooded areas and adds native plants and forestry for wildlife habitat, supports their focus on being a good steward of the natural environment. To create a facility that is focused on employee wellbeing and customer experience, the design and orientation of the building to face the wetlands takes advantage of the views and emphasizes the company’s values and priorities. The expansive glass exterior invites daylight in and provides wonderful views.

The company also aspires to make the new building a community resource for hosting educational, charitable, and community events with a focus on giving back to the organizations, clubs, and causes that employees are passionate about. The new headquarters also provides a boost to the local Alexandria economy from customers and employees who visit local businesses.

Strong relationships with key stakeholders—including the City of Alexandria, DOLI, FAA, and the City of Alexandria Fire Department—were prioritized throughout the project. The team actively sought their input and expertise, ensuring that regulatory and safety considerations were addressed proactively and that the project met all necessary compliance requirements.

To align with one of Massman’s company values, community involvement, Massman emphasized the use of local subs where appropriate to the project would, to the greatest extent, enrich the Alexandria area local economy and increase the local stake in the project.  Those subs included Buttweilers (roof), Alex Glass (windows), Ellingsons (mechanicals), Swedbergs (cabinets), Viking Garage Door (overhead doors), Arnquist Flooring (floor covering), Mark Lee Excavating (excavation and utilities), Innovative Erectors (structural steel erection), Exterior Designs (landscaping), Cullen’s Home Center (appliances).

PROJECT TEAM

  • Owner & Developer: Granite Partners & Massman Automation, A Massman Company
  • General Contractor: McGough Construction
  • Architect & Interior Designer: Pope Design Group
  • Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Dunham Associates
  • Civil Engineer & Landscape Architect: Westwood Professional Services
  • Structural Engineer: Innovative Structural Solutions

See the rest of this year’s honorees on the Finance & Commerce’s announcement.

This year’s Top Project will be featured in a special magazine and in a series of stories and photos in the Finance & Commerce daily newspaper and on the F&C website starting in July 2024.

See more images of Massman Companies on our project page.

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