Earlier this week, Ruan broke ground o
n our new Ankeny Operating Center. Construction of the facility is scheduled to be complete in September 2020. This location will serve as Ruan’s flagship operation, providing office space for team members currently located at an operation on Park Avenue. Ruan has partnered with Graham Construction, a fellow Des Moines-based company, on the project.
Nearly 80 drivers will operate approximately 60 trucks from the Ankeny Operating Center, serving customers including Rasmussen Group, Michael Foods, Marzetti, Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, Siegwerk, Chemical Research Technologies, and Airgas Merchant Gases. The space will offer conference and training rooms for new team members and continued education efforts. The yard will have space for in-truck driver training. A state-of-the-art maintenance shop with three service bays and several skilled technicians will maintain approximately 100 trucks, including a few from other Iowa operations. The facility will also have a wash bay for tractors and trailers.
“This is a major step to expanding our footprint in the central Iowa area. Our roots have always been here, and the ability to break ground today on this project is special for us. We first began investing in the Des Moines community in the 1970s, during a time when the community needed to revitalize. We are happy today to be in a stronger position and to be a part of this growing community,” said CEO Ben McLean at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Ruan’s roots in the Des Moines metro stem back 87 years when founder John Ruan hauled his first load of gravel across the city. The Ruan Center, located at 666 Grand Avenue, was completed in 1975 and still serves as the company’s headquarters today with nearly 400 team members working from the location. Ruan has more than 300 operations across the country, employing 6,000 team members.