Jason Andringa and Iowa’s Vermeer Corp: Living a Legacy
Having spent summers traveling and fishing with his grandfather, Jason Andringa got to spend quality time learning just what made him tick. Following in the footsteps of Gary Vermeer and Mary Andringa as former leaders of one of the largest manufacturing companies in Iowa isn’t easy. Yet Jason, who in 2015 took the reins at Vermeer as President and CEO, is more than up to the task, and his MS in aeronautics from MIT and time spent with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory more than qualifies him for the role.
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Jason stopped by The Iowa Manufacturing Podcast studio for an enlightening conversation with host Leisa Fox, they chatted about everything from his time with NASA to working abroad in the Netherlands with the Vermeer team. To Vermeer’s legacy and drive building and launching innovative products for the unique markets they serve, not only to do that successfully within the United States but globally.
An Iowa Domiciled Manufacturing Leader
Jason’s grandfather built a mechanical wagon hoist for his own use. His neighbors saw it and said, “Hey, would you build one of those for me?” The elder Andringa and Vermeer founder soon after that brought on his first hire to meet the already accelerating market demand.
Vermeer is headquartered in Pella with four Iowa locations including a newer plant in Northeast Des Moines that employs approximately 100 people focused on cutting edge tooling for the manufacturer’s HDD drilling and trencher product lines.
The company’s family leadership policy ensured that Jason and the rest of his family is qualified and ready for their roles. Building upon the innovation that they were founded upon is a top priority for Jason.
A “third generation family member,” Jason talks about Vermeer’s expansion, innovation, and ties to Iowa. This includes recovery after the 2018 tornados, and growing footprint not only in North America but Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.
Build, Prototype, Launch: Better and Stronger
From the resilience demonstrated by employees following the aftermath of dealing with massive damage to its Pella facility, to post-Covid workforce rebounds and leading into dynamic expansions in Iowa and new opportunities on the horizon, the future at Vermeer appears bright.
Vermeer is widely known for their “tip of the spear” ingenuity. This encompasses both inventing the stump grinder and developing, building and launching durable and innovative HDD equipment and other products for the unique markets served.
Jason shares his executive focus, which is supporting commitment to the future via the domestic development of appropriate infrastructure.
Living Out A Legacy: Vermeer Corporation
Jason aspired to work for the company started by his grandfather and is now leading Vermeer forward, he always thought he might return to work for the company someday. He works alongside family members including many Vermeer employees, focused on continuous improvement.
The “White Elephant” wall in the Vermeer museum reinforces their drive to launch new products and the opportunity to iterate success. Learning through adversity and potential for “failure” was another takeaway from the episode.
For Jason and Vermeer’s teams, they try to never lose sight of the humility it can take to look at it from a different angle when building, prototyping and launching solutions for the markets they serve. In Iowa and globally. For strong infrastructures and better manufacturing solutions.
More About Vermeer
Vermeer Corporation delivers a real impact on the way important work gets done through the design, manufacture and support of high-quality industrial and agricultural equipment that helps connect people to the necessities of life, manage natural resources and feed and fuel communities. With a reputation for being built tough and built in a better way, that equipment is backed by localized customer service and support provided by independent dealers around the world. To learn about Vermeer Corporation, products, the dealer network, financing options and careers, visit vermeer.com.