What began with one truck in 1939 has grown into one of South Dakota’s most impressive homegrown manufacturing stories. When Harold Higman Sr. started mining and hauling sand and gravel, he couldn’t have known that his determination to “build it himself” would one day power a global manufacturing company in small town Vermillion, SD.
That same inventive spirit still drives Masaba Inc. today. From its South Dakota headquarters, the company designs, engineers, and manufactures custom conveyors and material handling equipment used in industries around the world—from hard-rock mining to agriculture and construction.
For more than 60 years, Masaba has been building equipment tough enough to withstand the world’s harshest environments. From concept to completion, every piece of equipment is built start-to-finish in Vermillion by a team that blends hands-on craftmanship with cutting-edge engineering.
“The state has been awesome and great to work with,” said Jerad Higman, CEO of Masaba. “Every time we’ve made an expansion, they’ve been so pro-business – asking ‘How do we grow South Dakota? How do we create jobs? How do we get out of the way?’ It’s a small state, so you get to know these people. You can pick up the phone and call anyone- even the Governor. The infrastructure here is great, and there’s just not a lot of downside.”
Masaba’s growth is rooted in South Dakota values—hard work, ingenuity, and pride in doing things the right way. The company’s Vermillion facility brings together engineers, welders, and fabricators of all ages, all focused on the same goal: building equipment that lasts.
“The advancements we’ve made as a company – through improvements and investments in technology – really speak to younger people who are excited about innovation,” said Jason Pangburn, Floor Operations Director. “We’ve got all ages of people working here.”
“It’s great that we do it all in-house, start to finish,” added Alyssa Walker, HR Generalist. “It’s really cool when we put our name on it – Masaba built. It’s built in small town Vermillion, South Dakota, but we’re big in our industry and capable of so much.”
That pride in place extends beyond the factory floor. Masaba’s leadership and team are deeply involved in the Vermillion community, supporting workforce growth, and building on the strong values that define South Dakota – hard work, accountability and innovation.
For Marissa Iddings, Strategic Accounts Manager, no two days are the same. “Some days I’m in the shop, some days I’m up in engineering, and some days I’m on Teams all day long,” she said. “But it’s never boring.”
That variety, and the collaboration behind it, has helped Masaba stay nimble and innovative in a rapidly evolving industry. The company’s focus on people and process has kept it growing steadily for decades, all while remaining proudly rooted in Vermillion.
“A company like this in small-town South Dakota is building sometimes multimillion-dollar pieces of equipment that are used all over the world,” said Mike Krajewski, President. “This equipment is used to build the infrastructure of this country. It’s an important part of making the United States competitive.”
From one truck in 1939 to a global manufacturing operation today, Masaba stands as proof that South Dakota is, indeed, Open for Opportunity. And that innovation, hard work, and community can build something truly built to last.