“[Graco’s] innovation, job creation, and investment along the Mississippi River have helped shape our economy and strengthen the Northeast neighborhood," Frey said in a statement. “While we’re sad to see them go, we’re excited about the potential this nearly half-mile stretch of riverfront holds for our city—an extraordinary opportunity along the most epic river in the world.”
Erik Hansen, Minneapolis’ director of Community Planning and Economic Development learned about Graco’s declaration from a Minnesota Star Tribune reporter on Wednesday. He was still seeking a conversation with the company about their “very consequential” move on Thursday morning.
“I appreciate that they’re staying in the region, and those jobs are staying in the region because it’s not like jobs stop at the border,” said Hansen. “But the industrial base, those blue-collar jobs, continue to dwindle in the city of Minneapolis, and I just want to talk to them before I start the postmortem conversation with what happens next.”
In an emailed response to a Star Tribune question Thursday asking if there was anything the city could have done, Graco said: “The City of Minneapolis has played a vital role in Graco’s growth, and we’re incredibly thankful for the support, leadership and partnership we’ve received over the years. This relocation is part of a long-term plan we’ve been considering as Graco continues to grow.”
In its news release announcing the departure Wednesday, CEO Mark Sheahan said the company wanted to maximize manufacturing capacity.
Minneapolis’ industrial properties are typically smaller and older than the rest of the Metro. There has also been a shift away from heavy industrial uses — high polluters increasingly garnering pushback from residents increasingly unwilling to trade their health for job opportunities — toward lighter industrial uses like warehousing.