Reinke,
a leading manufacturer of over-the-road trailer/chassis equipment
and mechanized irrigation systems, was assessing damage of its 80-acre
plant Monday after a series of tornadoes ripped through Deshler,
NE, Sunday evening.
According
to Bob Friehe, Reinke president, the east end of the main trailer/chassis
production building was damaged, a corner of the roof on the east
end of the main office building was partially lifted up, and several
overhead doors on other buildings were blown off.
Despite
the structural damage, he expects the company to be able to ship
orders by end of this week.
The
company’s irrigation manufacturing division survived the storm with
relatively little damage, and should resume production within days,
according to Friehe. He said the company’s irrigation and trailer/chassis
parts inventories were not damaged.
Reinke
has more than 300 employees, who were all accounted for and were
not hurt in the storm. The plant was closed Monday and Tuesday;
however insurance agents and construction crews were on site.
In
the meantime, Reinke dealers will continue to take orders and assist
customers at the more than 29 trailer dealerships and 160 irrigation
dealerships throughout the United States and Canada.
--by
René Tankersley, feature editor
René
Tankersley can be reached at renet@landlinemag.com.
