Major Industries and Employment

Manufacturing

Isanti County is a hub for manufacturing. Larger manufacturers benefit from a convenient local supply chain of smaller firms that provide important services to area manufacturers including: precision machining, design, consultation R & D, prototype engineering and building, laser cutting, powder coating, fixtures for welding and assembly, casting, conventional and CNC machining and welding services. Area trucking firms meet the needs of local manufacturers and UPS maintains a fully staffed customer center in the Isanti Industrial Park. A nationally recognized supplier of industrial and safety supplies is located in Cambridge’s Southeast Industrial Park.

Manufacturing employment in the county is 14.7% of total employment - significantly higher than the nation at 10.1% and the seven-county metro area at 11.0% (Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2019.)

The county is home to over 70 manufacturers in diverse industries – including metals, plastics, automotive parts, printing/publishing, food processing, machinery manufacturing, electronic products and materials handling. They provide finished goods or parts meeting the highest quality standards for a variety of products including: medical devices, recreational vehicles, electronic equipment, food products, tanks and pressure vessels, grain-handling equipment, bio-fuels and water technology.

Manufacturing employers with more than 25 employees include:

• Arrow Tank & Engineering Co.
• Aurelius Manufacturing
• Cortec Advanced Films
• Evercat Fuels
• Metal Coatings & Manufacturing Co.
• North Metro Saw
• Schlagel Manufacturing
• SnoBear USA
• TEAM Industries
• VanPro
• U.S. Water Services 

Manufacturers value the productivity, skills and low turnover among manufacturing employees in the area.  Wages in the manufacturing sector are competitive.

Diversified Regional Economy

Isanti County serves as a regional center for East Central Minnesota, resulting in a well-diversified economy with concentrations in health care, education, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities. East Central Energy, which serves 14 counties in East Central MN and Northwest Wisconsin is headquartered in Isanti County. Other organizations serving a multi-county region located in Isanti County include Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Allina’s Cambridge Medical Center and Hospital, East Central Regional Library, MN National Guard Armory, and a wide array of retailers including Kohls, Walmart, Target, Aldi, Cub Foods, Menards and Fleet Farm.  Just as important, our downtown areas are hubs for locally-owned small businesses – meat markets, restaurants, a bakery, coffee shops, florists and more.