NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, August 23, 2017
CONTACT: Natalie Likness, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, 605.773.4633

Interstate Batteries Breaks Ground in Arlington’s Industrial Park

ARLINGTON, S.D. – It was a two-fold celebration yesterday in Arlington, South Dakota, when Interstate Batteries broke ground on its new facility. The commemorative ceremony was held in conjunction with a ribbon cutting ceremony in the industrial park as the community announced the opening of additional acres for development.

“The development of an industrial park is a valuable asset for a community to have in its arsenal,” said Scott Stern, Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “When it comes to attracting new businesses or expanding businesses like Interstate Batteries, a highly qualified, developed parcel of land can sometimes make the difference between a deal made and a deal lost. Congratulations to the whole Arlington community on a major step toward economic development.”

Interstate Batteries is the number one replacement brand battery wholesaler in North America with three distribution centers in South Dakota. Tyler and Jackie Henriksen own two of the distribution centers, one in Arlington and the other in Sioux Falls. The third is owned by a separate owner in Rapid City. The distribution centers the Henriksens own service customers in eastern South Dakota, northwestern Iowa and southwest Minnesota, and employ almost 30 people between the two centers.

“Growing up in a small Midwest town like Arlington, you learn the value of hard work,” said Tyler Henriksen. “A large part of our team has been with us for a long time so this expansion has an impact on more than just our employees—it impacts their families, too. We’ve found success in our community because of people’s loyalty and commitment to our company, and because of that, we’ve been able to create opportunities that keep them from having to travel for a job in a larger community nearby. We owe our expansion in part to the GOED, because without the approved Local Infrastructure Improvement Program, we may have had to expand elsewhere.”

“In a community the size of Arlington, an expansion of this size in a newly expanded industrial park is more than economic development, it’s community development,” said Jason Uphoff, executive director, Arlington Community Development Corporation. “We’re thrilled Interstate Batteries chose to expand in Arlington, and the industrial park is the perfect fit for the new facility.”

Construction is slated to be complete by December 2017. Click here for more information about Interstate Batteries.

For more information about the Local Infrastructure Improvement grant program, and other financing programs offered through GOED, please go to www.sdreadytowork.com/finance.

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