DEED Stories of Impact: Lakeshirts LLC



DEED Developments










*DEED Stories of Impact: Lakeshirts LLC*

DEED operates more than 50 different economic development programs that support businesses of all sizes across the state. These programs enrich Minnesota’s economy and make our state one of the best states to start a business, put down roots and raise a family. Every month, we highlight the ways these programs support businesses in our communities through our Stories of Impact.

Four women stand around the Lakeshirts LLC logo

Sonja Lubrecht (City of Little Falls staff), Chinwe Ngwu (DEED), Alex Smith (City of Little Falls staff) and Donna Corbo (DEED) visited Lakeshirts LLC in the City of Little Falls to see the impact of the expansion catalyzed by the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF).

This week, we’re looking at Lakeshirts LLC [ [link removed] ]. Founded in 1984, the two-person business started with a homemade plywood printer in co-founder Mark Fritz’s parents’ basement on the shores of Detroit Lakes’ mile-long beach. Since their humble beginnings, the company, now based in Little Falls, has grown from two to almost 700 workers and replaced their single plywood printer with 54 automatic screenprint presses, 32 multi-head embroidery machines, six 60-foot laser applique bridges, three sublimation presses, eight pad print presses and 15 sticker cutters. They provide custom decorated apparel in the resort, sports, retail and collegiate market with large business clients like Disney and Amazon.

Through DEED’s Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF), Lakeshirts was able to purchase new machinery and invest $2 million to expand and renovate a vacant factory for their production facility in Little Falls. With this investment, they created 93 new jobs!

Five people stand around a large machine in a factory as a man explains what it does.

City of Little Falls and DEED staff learn how new equipment financed by the Minnesota Investment Fund helped increase manufacturing capacity in a business expansion project that created 93 new jobs.

MIF provides financing to help add new workers and retain high-quality jobs on a statewide basis. The program provides capital to local units of government, which in turn provide loans to support expanding businesses in their communities. MIF focuses on industrial, manufacturing and tech industries to increase the local and state tax base and improve economic vitality in meaningful ways for communities across the state.

To learn more about MIF and DEED’s business financing programs, visit our For Business page [ [link removed] ].

"DEED Developments Blog [ [link removed] ]"

"Subscribe [ [link removed] ] to receive more information from DEED."





________________________________________________________________________

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

 

Questions? Contact Us [ [link removed] ]

Sign up for email updates [ [link removed] ]   Follow us on X [ [link removed] ]   Sign up for email updates [ [link removed] ]

Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:

Manage Preferences [ [link removed] ]  |  Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]  |  Help [ [link removed] ]

"DEED is an equal opportunity employer and program provider."


________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development · Great Northern Building, 180 E 5th St Suite 1200, St. Paul, MN 55101 · (800) 657-3858 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]