Australian company chooses Dyersville for $2.2 million facility

DYERSVILLE -- An Australian company has selected Dyersville for a $2.2 million facility that will serve its North American customers and create 30 new jobs in the area.

Digga North America LLC is proposing to build a new 30,000-square-foot, state-of-art facility in Dyersville's new industrial park. The project was approved Monday by the Iowa Economic Development Authority board for $240,000 in direct financial assistance and tax benefits.

The Dyersville City Council is expected to approve a tax increment financing agreement with the company in April. Digga also will be using the Iowa New Jobs Training Program administered locally through Northeast Iowa Community College.

Digga is a privately-owned, Australian company that is a global leader in the manufacturing and exporting of gearboxes and construction equipment attachments for the earth moving industry. The company produces 79 different construction equipment attachments, wearparts and spareparts to suit most machine types.

Suzie Wright, president and chief executive officer of Digga, said she was impressed with the Dyersville community and what it has to offer the company.

"Key factors such as a strong educational and workforce training system, local amenities, a shovel-ready industrial park with Highway 20 visibility, and the can-do attitude of the city staff and elected officials all were important in our selection," Wright said. "I will certainly be an advocate for Eastern Iowa to my counterparts in Australia."

Jacque Rahe, executive director of the Dyersville Economic Development Corp.said the strong public/private partnerships in the area also were important to Digga.

"Through our partners at the Greater Dubuque Development Corp. and Northeast Iowa Community College, we were able to convey the attributes of the machining/metal fabrication industry cluster within our region and discuss the various work force attraction tools Digga will have access to," Rahe said.

"Digga will become an anchor in our new industrial park, create quality jobs, add to our tax base and provide international exposure."