Northern Tool + Equipment is shifting a chunk of manufacturing work out of Mexico and into its Faribault, Minnesota campus, a move the company and local sources say will ramp up capacity and put more people on the factory floor. The Burnsville-based retailer plans to lift output at the Faribault plant by about 40% and add as many as 70 employees by 2027. In Faribault, where manufacturing carries a big share of the local economy, that kind of bump could mean steadier shifts and fresh hiring in the near future.
Those projections were first reported in July by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, which said Northern Tool will add up to 70 employees by next year and boost production about 40% at its Faribault campus.
Northern Tool’s Faribault footprint
The Faribault site is already one of Northern Tool’s heavy hitters. The company uses the campus to assemble its private‑label product lines and to handle welding, paint work and final assembly. Northern Tool describes the facility as a core hub for its domestic manufacturing operations. Brands such as NorthStar and Powerhorse run through those lines, according to Northern Tool + Equipment's manufacturing information.
Local economic lift
City records list Northern Tool among Faribault’s larger private employers, and local officials like to point out that when a plant grows, the impact rarely stops at the property line. More factory work can spill over to suppliers, construction crews and nearby service businesses. The City of Faribault's 2025 annual financial report lays out just how central manufacturing is to the community’s tax base and jobs picture.
Jobs and timeline
The Business Journal reporting pegs the hiring push on a relatively quick schedule, with the new positions expected to be in place by 2027 and the outlet noting that the company aims to add up to 70 workers by next year. The roles span assembly, welding and production‑line jobs. Northern Tool is already posting factory openings tied to the Faribault site; current listings are available on Northern Tool + Equipment.
How this fits a bigger trend
Northern Tool’s decision lines up with a broader, if uneven, wave of reshoring and nearshoring moves by U.S. manufacturers as they juggle tariffs, shipping headaches, supply‑chain resilience and the raw cost of labor and equipment. Industry analysis from Kearney shows companies reassessing offshore production footprints even while the overall reshoring picture remains mixed.
If the plans roll out as described, Faribault’s manufacturing output and payroll will climb through 2027, and local officials say they will be watching closely for ripple effects on suppliers and workforce needs as production lines get retooled. This story will be updated as Northern Tool or city leaders release more details.
