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Gov. Pillen tours Lincoln manufacturer of renewable natural gas tanks

Hexagon Agility adds 100 more jobs in $25M expansion

Gov. Pillen tours Lincoln manufacturer of renewable natural gas tanks

Hexagon Agility adds 100 more jobs in $25M expansion

BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, BILL. IT IS A KEY PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS. BUT FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS. LINCOLN MANUFACTURING PLANTS, HEXAGON AGILITY HAS BEEN LOCATED IN NEBRASKA’S CAPITAL FOR 60 YEARS. WELL, GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN TODAY TOURED THE FACILITY TO SPOTLIGHT ITS INNOVATION AND EXPANSION. KETV NEWSWATCH EVANS ANDREW OZAKI TAKES US INSIDE FOR THIS, FORECASTING THE FUTURE OF. REPORTER THE ROBOT PICKS IT UP, MOVES IT OVER. DOES THE WELD GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN SEES FIRSTHAND HOW HEXAGON AGILITY AND NEBRASKA ARE PLAYING A ROLE IN REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS GLOBALLY. WE DO. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. THEY RUN VERY, VERY EFFICIENTLY. CLEAN THE COMPANIES INTERIM PRESIDENT SAYS THE LINCOLN PLANT PRODUCES HIGH PRESSURE, CARBON FIBER REINFORCED TANKS FOR VEHICLES, AND ANOTHER DIVISION MAKES MOBILE PIPELINE CYLINDERS THAT CAN TRANSPORT LARGE AMOUNTS OF RENEWABLE AND COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS WHERE PIPELINES CAN. ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF OUR BUSINESS TODAY, IT’S IT’S COMPANIES CHOOSING TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. HEXAGON HAS CONTRACTS WITH AMAZON AND UPS TO CONVERT SOME OF THEIR VEHICLES AS WELL AS THIS LINCOLN WASTE HAULER. KEEPING THE AIR CLEANER, THEY’RE QUIETER SO OVERALL, ENVIRONMENTALLY BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY. HEXAGON IS IN THE PROCESS OF A $25 MILLION EXPANSION, BUT INCREASING THEIR WORKFORCE TO 350 EMPLOYEES IS NOT EASY. WE HAVE TO GROW, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO GROW. PILLING WANTS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO NEBRASKA IN MATCHING INTERNSHIPS UP EARLIER SO THAT YOU HAVE CERTIFIED WELDERS, CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS, BETTER SKILL SET DEVELOPMENT. HE SAYS STARTING WAGES AT HEXAGON ARE $38,000 A YEAR. LET’S START BRAGGING ABOUT HOW MUCH WE PAY PEOPLE AND HE HIGHLIGHTS COMPANIES LIKE THESE. WE TEACH ANYBODY THAT’S GOT THE DESIRE TO HEXAGON IS NOT A NAME THAT’S AS WELL-KNOWN AS IT SHOULD BE, BUT THAT COULD HOPEFULLY CHANGE. IN LINCOLN
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Gov. Pillen tours Lincoln manufacturer of renewable natural gas tanks

Hexagon Agility adds 100 more jobs in $25M expansion

It's a key player in the global transition to renewable natural gas, but few people know about on Lincoln manufacturing plant. Hexagon Agility, which is located in Costa Mesa, California, has had a plant located in Nebraska's Capitol for 60 years. On Monday, Gov. Jim Pillen toured the facility to spotlight its innovation and expansion."It really inspires me, being a lifelong Nebraskan, spending our lives as farmers and ranchers and producers caring about our environment. Seeing Hexagon and what they are doing is really exciting to see others do the same," Pillen said.The plant produces high-pressure carbon fiber reinforced tanks for vehicles."We produce fuel systems that run on natural gas. They run very, very efficiently, clean, much lower emissions than a traditional diesel engine," Hexagon Agility interim President Andy Griffiths said. Another division makes mobile pipeline cylinders. They can transport large amounts of renewable and compressed natural gas where pipelines can't. "One of the biggest drivers of our business today. It's companies choosing to do the right thing for the environment," Griffiths said.Hexagon has contracts with Amazon and UPS to convert some of their vehicles.Lincoln's Transportation system has CNG vehicles as well as Uribe Refuse Services, a Lincoln waste hauler."Keeping the air cleaner. They are quieter. So overall, environmentally, it's better for our community," said Uribe Refuse Director of Sustainability Melissa Mercier.Hexagon is in the process of a $25 million expansion. But increasing their workforce to 350 employees is not easy."Unemployment here is extremely low, which is as we try to grow and expand our business, it definitely has its challenges," Griffiths said. "We have to grow, right? We have to grow," Pillen said.Pillen said Hexagon Agility's growth fits well in his plan to attract and retain more young people to Nebraska."Matching internships up earlier so that you have certified welders, certified technicians, better skill set development," Pillen said. Starting wages at Hexagon Agility are around $38,000 a year."We teach anyone with the desire to really wants to learn," said Bryan Mewhort, the vice president of operations in Hexagon's Lincoln plant. "Let's start bragging about how much we pay people," Pillen said. And the governor wants to highlight companies like these."It's important that we take really, really good care of the companies that have been here," Pillen said. And spread the word about Hexagon."Hexagon is not a name that's as well-known as it should be," Griffiths said.

It's a key player in the global transition to renewable natural gas, but few people know about on Lincoln manufacturing plant.

Hexagon Agility, which is located in Costa Mesa, California, has had a plant located in Nebraska's Capitol for 60 years.

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On Monday, Gov. Jim Pillen toured the facility to spotlight its innovation and expansion.

"It really inspires me, being a lifelong Nebraskan, spending our lives as farmers and ranchers and producers caring about our environment. Seeing Hexagon and what they are doing is really exciting to see others do the same," Pillen said.

The plant produces high-pressure carbon fiber reinforced tanks for vehicles.

"We produce fuel systems that run on natural gas. They run very, very efficiently, clean, much lower emissions than a traditional diesel engine," Hexagon Agility interim President Andy Griffiths said.

Another division makes mobile pipeline cylinders. They can transport large amounts of renewable and compressed natural gas where pipelines can't.

"One of the biggest drivers of our business today. It's companies choosing to do the right thing for the environment," Griffiths said.

Hexagon has contracts with Amazon and UPS to convert some of their vehicles.

Lincoln's Transportation system has CNG vehicles as well as Uribe Refuse Services, a Lincoln waste hauler.

"Keeping the air cleaner. They are quieter. So overall, environmentally, it's better for our community," said Uribe Refuse Director of Sustainability Melissa Mercier.

Hexagon is in the process of a $25 million expansion.

But increasing their workforce to 350 employees is not easy.

"Unemployment here is extremely low, which is as we try to grow and expand our business, it definitely has its challenges," Griffiths said.

"We have to grow, right? We have to grow," Pillen said.

Pillen said Hexagon Agility's growth fits well in his plan to attract and retain more young people to Nebraska.

"Matching internships up earlier so that you have certified welders, certified technicians, better skill set development," Pillen said.

Starting wages at Hexagon Agility are around $38,000 a year.

"We teach anyone with the desire to really wants to learn," said Bryan Mewhort, the vice president of operations in Hexagon's Lincoln plant.

"Let's start bragging about how much we pay people," Pillen said.

And the governor wants to highlight companies like these.

"It's important that we take really, really good care of the companies that have been here," Pillen said.

And spread the word about Hexagon.

"Hexagon is not a name that's as well-known as it should be," Griffiths said.