SD Sign Manufacturing Plant Reopens

A South Dakota sign manufacturing company based in Watertown has restarted production at a Webster facility that had been shut down for two years.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A South Dakota sign manufacturing company based in Watertown has restarted production at a Webster facility that had been shut down for two years.

ESCO administration manager Laurie Gates says that when the Webster facility closed, some of its workers were able to commute to the company's plant in Watertown. She says some of those workers have been able to return to Webster.

Gates says that before the Webster plant was shut down, it made church and school signs. It now produces custom-made, three-dimensional letters commonly used on the outside of buildings.

The Webster plant now has 10 or more employees and plans to add another five.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard says the state has given ESCO a grant of more than $4,000 to help retrain up to a dozen workers.

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