By On Sept. 9, Komatsu Mining Corp., building on its 135-year-legacy in Milwaukee, broke ground for its new state-of-the-art headquarters and manufacturing campus in Milwaukee’s Harbor District on east Greenfield Avenue.
Recently, the company finalized the ownership of two parcels of land totaling about 57 acres for the project. Komatsu, partnering with City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin, is investing roughly $285 million in its South Harbor Campus, which will contain purpose-built, modern constructing facilities; robotics, engineering, advanced technology and R&D labs; a large office complex, training facilities, an experience center and a data solutions center.
Jeff Dawes, Komatsu Mining Corp. President and CEO said: “Building this state-of-the-art facility with a focus on prioritizing technology, supports our commitment to developing and delivering innovative solutions for our global customers.” He continued: “Our goal is to create a remarkable workplace for our employees that provides space to grow, will serve as a global center of excellence for Komatsu and demonstrates a sincere commitment to sustainability and our community.”
Since the end of 2019, pre-construction work has been under way to prepare the site for redevelopment. The company has planned to occupy the new campus by 2022.
John Koetz, President, Surface Mining at Komatsu stated: “We commend We Energies for their leadership in taking on the remediation of this former superfund site.” He also asserted: “We are excited to see this harbor site transform from an abandoned brownfield to a vibrant, sustainable workplace that provides the community opportunity for family-sustaining jobs for the future.”
With the leadership of Hunzinger Construction Co, EUA, & GRAEF, the project partners, full construction is now carrying out. The contractors that are Hunzinger, A.W. Oakes & Son Inc. and Cornerstone One, are all leveraging new Smart Construction technologies of Komatsu to remotely optimize their processes and control building management, planning, costs, and scheduling— all in about real time.
