Doosan Bobcat North America recently completed a $9.5 million expansion of its headquarters in West Fargo, N.D.

The facility now features a collaborative environment for employees to work in new ways, drive innovation and improve operations.

“Doosan Bobcat is a growing company that continues to make investments in its people,” says Rich Goldsbury, president of Doosan Bobcat North America. “Creating an innovative environment helps us attract and retain team members who are focused on bringing new ideas and solutions to the marketplace faster.”

The project doubled the square footage and employee capacity of the original headquarters building, built in 2000, bringing together teams who handle company administration and manage sales, marketing and product development for both Doosan and Bobcat brands.

The expansion also fits with the company’s commitment to fields related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“We have a vested interest in promoting STEM-related positions to build a sustainable long-term workforce,” Goldsbury says. “And we need facilities that help us recruit and retain top talent in the region — which goes hand in hand with our STEM education efforts and North Dakota State University partnership.”

The new space offers a state-of-the-art environment for collaboration and independent work using leading technologies, similar to what Doosan Bobcat has done with its Acceleration Center in Bismarck, N.D., a $28 million facility completed in 2014.

An open floor plan encourages movement, personal connections and spontaneous collaboration. Individual workstations with sit/stand capacities, dual monitors and docking stations are sprinkled throughout the facility, allowing team members to freely choose where to work at any given time of day. If employees need to utilize a private meeting room, they can choose to use 33 enclaves located throughout the facility. Numerous and diverse technology-based meeting spaces and open-air “mediascapes” are readily available for teams and events. A vitality area, collaborative indoor and outdoor dining area and walking path are available to individuals who need to take a break from day-to-day activities. Treadmill and bike workstations are also available, further increasing wellness opportunities for employees. The West Fargo headquarters will be a continued model for how all Doosan Bobcat facilities will function.

“Everything we are doing at our other North Dakota facilities in Bismarck, Gwinner, Wahpeton and West Fargo is part of the ‘innovation accelerated’ initiative,” Goldsbury says. “This is an ongoing investment and process, however. With a combination of environment, tools and techniques, we can create a culture that brings more innovation to our processes and products.”