In review

 

Our club went mobile this week. About 50 of our members traveled by bus (or drove themselves) to Faribault Woolen Mill. Our tour guide was our very own member and the current owner of Faribault Woolen Mill—Paul Mooty!  

For more photos from Vocational Day, visit our club's Facebook page. 

 

Click on the link below for more on the Vocational Day meeting...
 

 

On the way down to Faribault we enjoyed box lunches and Paul Mooty sharing the Mill’s history with us. We learned that the Mill was founded in 1865 by immigrant Carl Klemer in Faribault. The current building was built in 1892 and endures today as one of the last vertical woolen mills in the country. The building is located next to the Cannon River, which in earlier years provided the Mill with its own source of power.  

 

The Mill takes raw wool and creates a wide variety of products using equipment that dates back to the early 1900s in some cases. The process of taking raw wool to a finished product of high-grade wool and fine Merino wool takes up to 22 steps and 10 days to complete. The Mill’s product line includes blankets, scarves and other woolen accessories. Paul stated approximately one-half of all wool blankets in the 1950s and '60s were produced by the Mill.  

 

The Mill, however, ultimately closed in 2009 due to various factors and was resurrected in 2011 when Paul Mooty and family purchased the building and business. One of the first things Paul did following the purchase was to invite past employees to come back to work at the Mill. These employees had worked at the Mill for anywhere from 10 to 58 years! The Mill currently employs 90 to 100 employees.  

 

The Mill has a proud history of producing woolen products for our military and that tradition continues today. Their products from start to finish are truly Made In America! Quite a success story.

 

Upon arrival at the Mill we were shown a video about the Mill and were then able to take a tour, during which we watched the various production steps and saw the equipment and employees in action. It is a really fascinating process! Following the tour, we were able to spend some time in their store and purchase the final products. 

 

Thanks Paul for being a great host and allowing us to learn more about your business!