A local sign manufacturer for the state and nation got a visit from a government official Thursday.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar congratulated M-R Sign Co. staff on their hard-working employees, continued sales success and recently added additional manufacturing facility.

“I’m really, really impressed,” Klobuchar said to CEO Karla Connelly during a tour of the company. “You’re lucky to have so many great employees.”

Klobuchar went on a tour of M-R Sign Co. Thursday after a short meeting. On the tour, she visited with employees and was fascinated to hear that many of them had decades of experience working at M-R Sign Co.

The tour group included Fergus Falls City Administrator Andrew Bremseth, Fergus Falls Mayor Hal Leland and Fergus Falls Economic Improvement Commission director Amy Baldwin.

Klobuchar said that continued support of manufacturing companies is important.

“We need to put in that investment,” she said.

Klobuchar also said after the tour that it’s always great to see women like Connelly in leadership roles. In her years of congress has been a proponent of having women represented in company and government leadership.

In addition, Klobuchar and Leland discussed  on the tour that small business and manufacturing is the “bread and butter” of Western Minnesota towns.

As the tour wrapped up, Klobuchar said it’s always a lot of fun to stop into companies like these and meet the people behind the scenes.

Connelly said she had introduced reached out to Klobuchar at a conference this year and offered her a tour of the facility.

Connelly said it was a great surprise for her to say yes.

The expansion of M-R Sign Co. Klobuchar toured is a converted Pepsi manufacturing plant that the company acquired in February with combined funds from a Small Cities Development Program loan and Security State Bank. The Small Cities loan was worked on with Baldwin.

The company moved into the facility fully by spring.

Connelly said that the added facility space has improved company efficiency and made a lot more breathing room for workers.