As one of the Greenville Tech Foundation’s longstanding partners, Vermeer Corporation and Vermeer Charitable Foundation recently continued its legacy of support by investing in the MIG Welding Lab at Greenville Technical College’s new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence. The company’s latest contribution to workforce development is one of many reasons Vermeer is being honored among the 2026 Champions for Student Success.
Vermeer has been a consistent and significant partner to the college and the foundation, supporting various initiatives designed to create opportunities for students. With a history of innovation and an unwavering commitment to career-focused education, they are truly dedicated to workforce development.
“At Vermeer, we are proud to support Greenville Technical College and the vital role it plays in developing the skilled workforce that powers manufacturing in the Upstate. Today, more than 80 Greenville Tech graduates are contributing across our organization in Greenville and beyond, a testament to the quality of the college’s programs and students. By investing in initiatives like this, we hope to inspire more students to pursue rewarding careers in manufacturing while strengthening the talent pipeline that will support the continued growth of our company and our region,” said Luke Hardaway, Vermeer’s director of human resources.
Vermeer Corporation traces its roots to 1948, when Gary J. Vermeer, then a farmer in Pella, Iowa, turned an invention originally meant to make the process of unloading grain wagons easier into a business venture called Vermeer Manufacturing Company. Over the decades, the company expanded well beyond farm tools, pioneering innovations such as stump cutters, tree spades, trenchers, and in 1971, the first large round hay baler — which helped redefine hay harvesting globally. What began as a small job-shop with just a few employees evolved into a diversified industrial and agricultural equipment manufacturer with production facilities worldwide and a dealer network spanning more than 60 countries.
Now in its third generation of family leadership, Vermeer has remained true to the values that have shaped the company since its founding, placing customers and community at the center of its mission. Vermeer Corporation’s presence in the Greenville area dates to Vermeer MV Solutions, the company’s specialized vacuum excavation business formed through acquisitions, including McLaughlin Group, Inc. of Greenville, which was fully integrated into Vermeer by 2018.
Vermeer MV Solutions celebrated the grand opening of its 130,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Piedmont in 2021. Since then, Vermeer has expanded and has been one of Greenville Technical College’s and the Greenville Tech Foundation’s most generous supporters, making a lasting impact on the lives of Upstate students. Vermeer Corporation stands as a true Champion for Student Success, empowering students to build meaningful careers and strengthen the community’s future.
