Must Read!
The Weekly Report – March 24, 2025.
The spring issue of Enterprise Minnesota® magazine gives an inside look at a superbly run manufacturer.
An article in the current issue of our magazine describes how TEAM Industries has become one of the best-run companies we deal with.
Writer Suzy Frisch describes how three generations of the Ricke family in tiny Bagley have built and expanded a company that manufactures drive-train technology for power sports, lawn and garden, and light vehicles sectors.
The genesis of the article was a December 2024 visit by Enterprise Minnesota business development consultant, Bill Martinson, who brings deep know-how in engineering, operations, strategy, and more to the companies he works with. Visiting even the best-run manufacturers, Martinson usually finds some areas of opportunity for companies to fine-tune.
But during his tour led by president and CEO Micah Ricke, Martinson was surprised that he couldn’t find one aspect of the company that needed improvement. He was astonished by the company’s automation, quality systems, lean processes, leadership, and culture.
Micah Ricke’s grandparents, Don and Beatrice Ricke, founded the company as Motek Engineering and Manufacturing. They aimed to expand the Cambridge, Minnesota machine shop by opening locations in rural communities like their hometowns in northwestern Minnesota. Their goal was to create high-quality, professional, and manufacturing jobs with access to the small-town Minnesota lifestyle they loved.
Micah Ricke learned the business from doing machining as a teenager, working for other manufacturers before and during college, and from his grandfather and father, David, his predecessor as CEO. They taught him about uniting as a team to solve steep challenges — good or bad — and forging deep relationships with customers. TEAM Industries cultivates a loyal and engaged staff by promoting from within and providing a stake through its employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).
Since becoming president and CEO in 2023, Ricke has built on TEAM Industries’ solid foundation. He’s put his own stamp on the company by focusing on forecasting and goal planning, diversifying its business lines, and improving cross-company communication.
TEAM Industries has nearly 1,200 employees, including 800 in Minnesota. Though it operates five facilities in the North Star State, one in North Carolina, and two in Mexico, its workforce is united behind a mission to serve as the manufacturer of choice for OEM customers in need of sophisticated, efficient power for their products. Its one-stop design, engineering, and manufacturing services –– and commitment to anticipating and meeting customers’ needs –– have kept TEAM Industries at the top of the roster for companies in numerous industries.
Frisch’s article outlines four key attributes that make the company stand out: leadership; employee experience; collaboration and team building; and diversification and efficiency. In interviews with long-time employees and senior leaders she demonstrates how TEAM Industries succeeds in these areas, ensuring continued future growth.
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